FAQ
What are thermoelectrics?
~Put simply, thermoelectrics is the conversion from electricity to a termperature differential, or more practically for our project, the conversion of temperature differential to electric flow.
What can I do to begin entering the field of thermoelectrics?
~Just start researching! You can look up some interesting and enlightening pages on our recommended literature page and start reading about the exciting prospects in thermoelectric engineering.
How big are microelectronics?
~Microelectronics range from smaller than handheld to about the size of a backpack. Microelectronics are generally considered to be portable and transport friendly.
Who is this Peltier fellow that I've heard so much about?
~Jean Charles Athanase Peltier was a French physicist who first discovered and characterized the heat and electrical properties of the interface of two metals. He is the inspiration for this project and for all of modern thermoelectrics!
What about Seebeck? I see his name everywhere!
~Well, you're not wrong! Seebeck is very important to the field and is largely the most valuable character in this wide world of thermoelectrics. Seebeck correctly determined that heat applied at the interface of two different metals would deflect a compass needle due to a magnetic field created by electricity formed in the exchange. He characterized this and became known (alongside Peltier) as the father of modern thermoelectric experimentation.
What are soe other applications for thermoelectric materials?
~Thermoelectric materials, in general, exhibit two properties that find many common uses: the Seebeck effect and the Peltier effect. The former describes the process by which a heat flux is converted to an electric potential. One really excellent application of this is as a power source for the Mars Rover Curiosity which uses a radioactive isotope as the heat source. The latter describes the converse process. Portal refrigerators use this to cool your beers and other favorite beverages at Eagles tailgate parties and otherwise!
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