Researchers at ETH Zurich have uncovered a new phenomenon when heating the mineral lead telluride. Until now, scientists could not agree how and whether atoms in a crystal move when heated, thereby altering the symmetry. Using the Piz Daint supercomputer, ETH researchers have now been able to demonstrate that the symmetry is broken locally when the mineral is heated. However, the original cubic symmetry is retained when the crystal is viewed as a whole.
Their discovery is of considerable importance to scientists. According to an ETH Zurich statement, understanding the local structure and dynamics of lead telluride helps to explain the behaviour of the material, which in turn can help scientists create or find more efficient thermoelectric materials in the future.
Thermoelectric materials became popular in aerospace in the 1960s and remain in widespread use today. For example, a thermoelectric generator made of lead telluride has been powering the Mars rover Curiosity since 2012.
Improved thermoelectric materials are not only of interest in aerospace research. As ETH Zurich explains, they could also contribute to making more efficient use of waste heat from incineration plans or cars in electricity generation.
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