December 5, 2001—A Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) scientist and a colleague have invented a semiconductor technology that could allow efficient, affordable production of electricity from a variety of energy sources without a turbine or similar generator. Among other advantages, such a device would be virtually silent, vibration-free, and low in maintenance costs.
The researchers presented their work at the Materials Research Society’s November meeting in Boston.
The new device is two times more efficient than its closest commercial competitor, says MIT associate professor Peter L. Hagelstein, one of the inventors. The technology could have major implications for the recovery of waste heat from power plants and automobiles. For example, the heat lost through engine exhausts might be captured by the technology and converted into electricity to augment or replace a vehicle’s electrical and air conditioning systems. It could also be important in the primary generation of electrical power.
For more information, contact Peter Hagelstein at MIT.
