Harvesting Heat: A Trio of Alloys Promises to Recycle Waste Energy

In the quest to decarbonise our energy grid, the most abundant resource we often ignore is waste heat. Whether escaping from car exhausts or industrial chimneys, thermal energy is notoriously difficult to recapture. However, new computational research suggests a family of platinum-based materials—specifically PtNbAl, PtNbGa, and PtNbIn—may be up to the task.

Using advanced density functional theory (DFT) to simulate atomic behaviour, researchers analysed the structural integrity of these 'half-Heusler' alloys. The results were encouraging: the materials crystallise in a stable Y1 phase and, crucially, are ductile rather than brittle. Unlike many ceramics currently used in this field, these alloys can withstand mechanical stress without snapping, a vital trait for real-world engineering.

The true test of a thermoelectric material lies in its 'figure of merit', or ZT value. The higher the number, the better the material converts temperature differences into voltage. The simulations predicted impressive ZT scores of 0.59, 0.76, and 0.78 respectively. While not breaking physics, these figures place the alloys firmly in the category of viable candidates for power generation devices, offering a robust, non-magnetic solution to our energy efficiency woes.