New thermoelectric composite more efficient than its parts

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory : Thermoelectric devices convert heat into electricity, a useful trick in many fields, including power generation. However, such devices are typically expensive to make. A team of researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has created a composite of organic and inorganic thin films from nanocrystals and polymer material. The result is a thermoelectric material that is more efficient than its constituent parts and cheaper to make than traditional thermoelectrics.The new material could affect not only thermoelectrics research but also polymerânanocrystal composites that are being investigated for photovoltaics, batteries, and hydrogen storage.