Tiny Manganese Tweak Unlocks Record-Breaking Thermoelectric Performance

QUT scientists develop record thermoelectric material

Every day, vast amounts of heat from cars, factories, and power plants are lost into the air. Imagine if we could efficiently capture that wasted energy and turn it into electricity. A research team at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has taken a major step toward making that vision a reality. Their new study shows how a tiny tweak—adding manganese to silver copper telluride—resulted in record-high thermoelectric performance.

The Breakthrough Discovery

The research, published in Energy & Environmental Science, demonstrates that manganese-doped silver copper telluride can achieve over 13% conversion efficiency in a prototype device. For context, most thermoelectric materials struggle to reach even a few percent efficiency. With this advancement, the material now ranks alongside the best technologies available for converting waste heat into usable clean energy.

“We showed it could reach record efficiency levels for its class, and when tested in a prototype device it delivered more than 13% conversion efficiency—putting it alongside the best current technologies,” said first author Dr. Nan-Hai Li.

Why It Matters

Thermoelectric materials work by directly converting temperature differences into electricity, without moving parts or emissions. This makes them ideal for harvesting energy from sources such as:

  • Exhaust heat from automobiles
  • Industrial furnaces and manufacturing plants
  • Thermal waste from power stations
  • Even wearable electronics powered by body heat

With improved efficiency, thermoelectrics could help industries recover lost energy, reduce carbon emissions, and pave the way for more sustainable energy systems.

A Cleaner Alternative

Importantly, the manganese-doped material is not only efficient but also environmentally friendly. Many thermoelectrics rely on toxic elements, making them unsuitable for large-scale adoption. By contrast, this compound is stable, simple to produce, and free from highly toxic components, making it a strong candidate for commercial applications.

“This material gives us a way to capture some of that lost energy and turn it into clean power,” said Professor Zhi-Gang Chen, who led the research alongside Associate Professor Xiao-Lei Shi.

The Road Ahead

While 13% efficiency may seem modest compared to solar or wind energy conversion, it is a milestone for thermoelectrics. Further optimization and scaling could expand its applications across multiple industries. For now, this manganese tweak represents a turning point in clean energy research—transforming what was once waste into a valuable resource.

Read the full article here: Tiny manganese tweak results in material with record-high thermoelectric performance (TechXplore).

This article for Quantum Server Networks was prepared with the help of AI technologies to enhance clarity, readability, and SEO optimization.

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#Thermoelectrics #CleanEnergy #ManganeseDoping #MaterialsScience #Nanotechnology #EnergyConversion #SustainableTech #WasteHeatRecovery #QUTResearch #QuantumServerNetworks

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