Grid-plainification enables medium-temperature PbSe thermoelectrics to cool better than Bi(2)Te(3). (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38484057/)

These scientists wanted to find a better way to make things cool down without using materials that are hard to find. They came up with a new design using a material called lead selenide (PbSe) that is normally used to make power. By changing the way the atoms are arranged in the material, they were able to make it cool things down instead of making power. They made a special device using PbSe and another material called tin selenide (SnSe) that could make things really cold when electricity passes through it. This device was able to make a big difference in temperature, and it was also very efficient at using electricity. The scientists were able to achieve this by making the electric charges move more easily in the material. This new way of cooling things down using these materials could be used in many different things we use every day, like electronics, without needing hard-to-find materials.

Qin Y., Qin B., Hong T., Zhang X., Wang D., Liu D., Wang ZY., Su L., Wang S., Gao X., Ge ZH., Zhao LD. Grid-plainification enables medium-temperature PbSe thermoelectrics to cool better than Bi(2)Te(3). Science. 2024 Mar 15;383(6688):1204-1209. doi: 10.1126/science.adk9589. Epub 2024 Mar 14.