MIT breakthrough in thermal energy

We've all seen the various applications of kinetic energy to create power on a small scale. On Brave New Leaf, we've featured cell phones you can twirl, knee braces that move with you, and computers you can crank to power the devices.

Another way to capture energy in small amounts is to leverage various heat sources to create electricity. One cool scenario might be that your winter coat collects body heat from you as you're wearing it to power your cell phone. Or consider capturing the heat coming out your tailpipe and using that to further power your automobile. This type of power is called thermal energy.

The physics say this scenario possible, but translating it into practice has proven to be a different matter entirely. To capture heat and turn it into electricity, you need the conductor to remain cool, to create a temperature differential. But most electrical conductors are also great at conducting heat, so the temperature differential is quickly lost.

Recently, researches at Boston College and MIT had a breakthrough. By applying low-cost nanotechnology that is far beyond my understanding, they have found a way to create mini-cooling particles that block heat while letting the electricity flow through. This opens the floodgates to a number of applications, finally allowing us to close the loop on systems that produce heat and re-capture some of that energy.

Read more: MIT News Office