mudslag Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-06/new-alloy-can-convert-heat-directly-electricity A new alloy with unique properties can convert heat directly into electricity, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota. The alloy, a multiferroic composite of nickel, cobalt, manganese and tin, can be either non-magnetic and highly magnetic, depending on its temperature. Multiferroic materials possess both magnetism and ferroelectricity, or a permanent electric polarization. Materials with both of these properties are very rare; check out this explainer from the National Institute of Standards and Technology if you?re interested in the electron orbital arrangements that cause these phenomena. In this case, the new alloy ? Ni45Co5Mn40Sn10 ? undergoes a reversible phase transformation, in which one type of solid turns into another type of solid when the temperature changes, according to a news release from the University of Minnesota. Specifically, the alloy goes from being non-magnetic to highly magnetized. The temperature only needs to be raised a small amount for this to happen. When the warmed alloy is placed near a permanent magnet, like a rare-earth magnet, the alloy?s magnetic force increases suddenly and dramatically. This produces a current in a surrounding coil, according to the researchers, led by aerospace engineering professor Richard James. Watch a piece of the alloy leap over to a permanent magnet in the video clip below. A process called hysteresis causes some of the heat energy to be lost, but this new alloy has a low hysteresis, the researchers say. Because of this, it could be used to convert waste heat energy into large amounts of electricity. One obvious use for this material would be in the exhaust pipes of vehicles. Several automakers are already working on heat transfer devices that can convert a car?s hot exhaust into usable electricity; General Motors is using alloys called skutterudites, which are cobalt-arsenide materials doped with rare earths. Rare earth magnets are already a necessity in many hybrid car batteries, so heat-capture devices made of the new multiferroic compound could be placed near the magnets. The material could also be used in power plants or even ocean thermal energy generators, the researchers said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebor Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 its Unobtainium?? - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Core It is potential scientific breakthroughs like this which could help us to solve a lot of the worlds energy concerns, layer these houses in hot countries combined with solar and wind power or even as a replacement I shall watch with interest, could be good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudslag Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 Yup I was thinking same thing with house, buildings roofs and auto bodies made from this could be a huge. And the core is a fun movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Decryptor Veteran Posted June 23, 2011 Veteran Share Posted June 23, 2011 The article title is really quite annoying, since the alloy does nothing of the sort. The important part of the article is this bit. ...When the warmed alloy is placed near a permanent magnet, like a rare-earth magnet, the alloy?s magnetic force increases suddenly and dramatically. This produces a current in a surrounding coil... It's the magnetic force that produces the current, not the alloy. Take it out of the picture and there'd still be a current in the coil (although lower). The cool bit is that the magnetic field of the alloy changes based on it's temperature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 time to build the first ISV and head out to Pandora. this is good news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seizure1990 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 its Unobtainium?? - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Core It is potential scientific breakthroughs like this which could help us to solve a lot of the worlds energy concerns, layer these houses in hot countries combined with solar and wind power or even as a replacement I shall watch with interest, could be good But what about the effects of extracting all these rare metals from the earth? It seems everything has a trade off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudy Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 But what about the effects of extracting all these rare metals from the earth? It seems everything has a trade off. I'll be the first to admit I don't know too much in geology but I'm pretty sure nickel, cobalt, manganese and tin are not "rare" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 there's always the asteroid belt. one of those rocks will be more than enough for hundreds of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Yeah, but getting them down in bulk could be hazardous to the species :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nagisan Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Sounds like it would work great to reduce energy consumption in anything electronic, most notably, computers.....if it wasn't for the magnetism that is. If they could find a way to properly implement this with computer systems, the hotter your system runs the more energy efficient it will become (to a point). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 mining the asteroid belt will be a huge industry in the next few decades, there's no need to bring them here, just send the robotic mining ships Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remixedcat Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 this looks very interesting and neat.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 The first uses for these thermoelectrig generators will be in hybrid and electric vehicles, especially the coming big hybrid trucks; exhaust heat will be converted to electricity to charge the battery pack. They will probably be packaged with the new shock absorbers that convert motion into power. Together they should up efficiency a few notches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoadorable Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 finally, some nice hybrid big rigs. should be impressive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ensiform Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Why can't we just send out probes from the Normandy to get this stuff? :whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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