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Study With Support from the Santos Dumont Supercomputer Reveals Surprisingly Low Thermal Conductivity in Barium Bismuthate, Similar to That of Amorphous Materials
A study published in the journal Advanced Science revealed an unexpected behavior in barium bismuthate (BaBiO3). Although it has a well-organized atomic structure, the crystal conducts heat similarly to glass. This characteristic is extremely rare in crystalline solid materials.
Support from the Santos Dumont Supercomputer
The study involved researchers from the Institute of Physics at USP (IFUSP), the Department of Physics at UFMG, and international institutions.
For the computational modeling of the phenomenon, the Santos Dumont supercomputer, located at the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC/MCTI) in Petrópolis (RJ), was used. The equipment is the fastest in Latin America dedicated to scientific research.
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Understanding the Low Thermal Conductivity
Normally, crystals conduct heat through the vibrations of the atomic lattice, called phonons. However, BaBiO3 exhibited extremely low thermal conductivity, comparable to that of amorphous materials.
This condition is caused by dynamic instabilities in its structure, which hinder heat transport.
Detailed Measurements and Simulations
The research combined experimental thermal measurements with computational simulations to analyze the material’s behavior at various temperatures.
The team led by Professor Valentina Martelli of IFUSP used their expertise in thermal transport to investigate the material from a new perspective, in the context of the doctoral research of Alexandre Henriques, also from IFUSP.
In addition to using equipment developed within their own group, the researchers conducted measurements at LNNANO (CNPEM, Campinas).
The computational modeling was conducted by Professor Walber Brito of UFMG, with intensive use of Santos Dumont. State-of-the-art computational techniques were applied to calculate thermal conductivity with high precision.
Potential for New Technological Applications
Barium bismuthate shows promise for the development of efficient thermal insulators and thermoelectric devices. These technologies could be useful in advanced electronics and energy generation.
International Collaboration and Financial Support
The experimental study, coordinated by Valentina Martelli, involved researchers from the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source in the United Kingdom and the Max Planck Institute in Germany. The project received funding from FAPESP, CNPq, and the Serrapilheira Institute.
With information from GOV.com.
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