New Hybrid Crystals Inspired by Meteorites Transform Heat Control

Crystals and glasses have opposite heat-conduction properties, crucial for various technologies such as electronic devices, waste-heat recovery, and aerospace thermal shields.

Michele Simoncelli, along with collaborators, uses quantum mechanics and machine learning to understand how material composition and structure affect heat conduction.

They predicted and confirmed a material with hybrid crystal-glass thermal properties found in meteorites and Mars, offering insights into managing heat under extreme conditions.

By deriving an equation, they explained the thermal conductivity trends in crystals, glasses, and defective materials, like silicon dioxide, leading to the discovery of a unique material with constant thermal conductivity.

Experiments on meteoritic tridymite confirmed its hybrid nature, potentially aiding in reducing carbon emissions in steel production.

Simoncelli's work combines first-principles theories, AI simulation, and material design to address industrial challenges and advance technologies like thermoelectrics and spintronics.

Photo Caption: The article explores how atomic disorder influences heat conduction in materials, featuring crystalline meteoritic tridymite, a hybrid phase, and amorphous silica glass.