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New findings from researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) of the Department of Energy supported a theory proposed by Albert Einstein in 1911 that explains how heat moves in solids
. Science scientists examined a class of materials called thermal insulators, which block heat transfer, a fundamental natural process.
"We saw what Einstein proposed in 1911: thermal energy jumps randomly from one atom to another in thermal insulators," said Lucas Lindsay, a materials specialist at the ORNL, in a statement. "The jump is in addition to the normal heat flow through the collective vibration of the atoms."
In the materials that conduct the heat easily, this jump in random energy It is not very noticeable, the researchers said, however, it can be seen in those who are less able to transmit heat.
Results Will Help Scientists Better Understand How Heat Moves Through Insulators This could lead to the development of new materials capable of recovering lost heat or preventing the transmission of heat.According to the ORNL team, these materials can significantly reduce energy costs etiques and carbon emissions.
To make their discovery, the researchers used vibration detection equipment and supercomputers to detect the motion of atoms and simulate the crystal made from the chemical element thallium – a thermal insulator.
They found that the vibration of the atoms in the crystal – which are ordered in a lattice – did not contain enough energy to transmit much heat. However, they still observed evidence of heat transfers that were not considered in their predictions.
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"Our predictions were twice as inferior we observed from our experiences. At first we were puzzled," said Lindsay . "This has led to the observation that another mechanism of heat transfer must be at play."
Jill Hemman and Adam Malin / Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US Department of Energy This "other mechanism" is the heat jump described by Einstein .
At the present time, this process can only be detectable in highly insulating materials, says Lindsay, but it may also be present in other crystalline solids, which will create new management capabilities. the heat.
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