The chemistry and atomic arrangement of the grain boundary phases define the electron transport through the grain boundaries. The titanium-rich grain boundary phase provides a conductive path (left) while the iron-rich grain boundary phase is resistive to electrons (right).
The chemistry and atomic arrangement of the grain boundary phases define the electron transport through the grain boundaries. The titanium-rich grain boundary phase provides a conductive path ( left ) while the iron-rich grain boundary phase is resistive to electrons ( right ). R. Bueno Villoro, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH - When fossil fuels, but also biofuels, are burned, large amounts of the energy are lost as waste heat. Thermoelectric materials could convert this heat into electricity, but they are not yet efficient enough for technical application. A team from the Max Planck Institut für Eisenforschung has now increased the efficiency of a thermoelectric material by elucidating the influence of the microstructure on the material and optimizing the material's properties by adding titanium. The climate crisis is forcing us not only to phase out fossil fuels, but also to save energy. Especially where fossil fuels cannot yet be replaced so quickly, they should at least be used efficiently - for example, by generating electricity from the waste heat of energy-intensive industrial plants or power stations.
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