Large quantities of energy are wasted by the electronic devices in the form of heat. This is the reason behind the consumption of excess battery power by mobile phones.
Researchers from the University of Luxembourg have demonstrated the process of energy loss and the ways to control the energy flow at a molecular level, which could result in more durable and cheaper technology.
Scientists only had a minimum knowledge on energy conversion efficiency in nano-devices until now. However, this study has provided a complete picture of the universal properties involved in the change of energy efficiency of the nano-systems. This knowledge will help control flow of energy in an accurate manner, reducing wastes.
We discovered universal properties about the way energy efficiency of nano-systems fluctuates.
Prof. Massimiliano Esposito of Luxembourg University’s Physics and Materials research unit
Using a technological regulator reduces the wastage of energy such that the heat produced in one part of a device is spread to the cooler areas resulting in heat loss. This principle adds a variation to the one of the fundamental physical theories - the Second Law of Thermodynamics. By contrast, the theoretical principle explained in this study complies with the “Maxwell’s demon” – introduced by James Clerk Maxwell, a prominent mathematician and physicist of 19th century. He predicted the flow of cold particles to hot region, the principle which contradicts the laws of nature.
The findings of this study were published in two journals - Physical Review X and Nature Communications. The research led by Prof. Esposito involved mathematical models to derive at these findings.
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