Atomically thin nanowires convert heat to electricity more efficiently

Waste heat can be converted to electricity more efficiently using one-dimensional nanoscale materials as thin as an atom – ushering a new way of generating sustainable energy – thanks to new research by the University of Warwick.

Led by Drs Andrij Vasylenko, Samuel Marks, Jeremy Sloan and David Quigley from Warwick's Department of Physics, in collaboration with the Universities of Cambridge and Birmingham, the researchers have found that the most effective thermoelectric materials canberealised by shaping them into the thinnest possible nanowires.

Thermoelectric materials harvest waste heat and convert it into electricity—and are much sought-afterasa renewable and environmentally friendly sources of energy.

Dr. Andrij Vasylenko, from the University of Warwick's Department of Physics and the paper's first author, commented:
"In contrast to3-dimensional material, isolated nanowires conduct less heat and more electricity at the same time. These unique properties yield unprecedented efficiency of heat-to-electricity conversion in one-dimensional materials."