Thermoelectric Effect Seen at the interface of two metal Liquids for the First Time

Amazing stuff! Could this be a breakthrough!

"Based on physics first observed over 200 years ago, thermoelectric devices can convert thermal energy into electrical energy and vice versa. ... Liquid thermoelectrics could be used to create new devices for scavenging energy from waste heat, and insights from the research could help improve the design of liquid-metal batteries.  ...
liquid thermoelectricity could be harnessed in new, highly efficient devices that convert waste heat into electricity. ...

team hypothesizes that these effects might be contributing to Jupiter’s magnetic field. The planet’s core is surrounded by a large region of metallic hydrogen, which is covered by an atmosphere of liquid molecular hydrogen. The planet’s equator is warmer than its poles, creating a temperature gradient along the metallic-liquid hydrogen interface. ..."

"The thermoelectric effect describes an energy transformation in which heat is converted into electricity and vice versa. This captivating interaction has long intrigued physicists, as it offers insight into the complex relationship between energy, temperature and matter. Thermoelectric materials generally involve an interface between two different solid semiconductors, and have a wide variety of applications: temperature sensors, refrigeration, environmentally-friendly power generation, etc.
 Researchers at the Laboratoire de Physique de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris (LPENS) have obtained the first proof of thermoelectricity between two liquids. The experiment involves superimposing two immiscible metals, mercury and gallium, liquid at room temperature, in a cylindrical container. When a large radial temperature difference is imposed between the two cylindrical walls containing the liquid metals, an electric current flows across the interface between the two liquids. ..."

From the significance and abstract:

"Significance

The Seebeck effect is the conversion of heat into electricity, usually achieved by thermoelectric devices using solid electrical conductors or semiconductors. Here is reported evidence of this effect at the interface between two metals that are liquid at room temperature, gallium and mercury. The liquid nature of the interface significantly alters the usual temperature distribution, leading to an abnormally high current density near the boundaries. In the bulk, the thermoelectric current interacts with a magnetic field to produce efficient thermoelectric pumping of fluids. This effect may be of prime importance in several industrial and astrophysical systems, such as the promising liquid-metal batteries and Jupiter’s magnetic field.

Abstract

We present experimental evidence of a thermoelectric effect at the interface between two liquid metals. Using superimposed layers of mercury and gallium in a cylindrical vessel operating at room temperature, we provide a direct measurement of the electric current generated by the presence of a thermal gradient along a liquid–liquid interface. At the interface between two liquids, temperature gradients induced by thermal convection lead to a complex geometry of electric currents, ultimately generating current densities near boundaries that are significantly higher than those observed in conventional solid-state thermoelectricity. When a magnetic field is applied to the experiment, an azimuthal shear flow, exhibiting opposite circulation in each layer, is generated. Depending on the value of the magnetic field, two different flow regimes are identified, in good agreement with a model based on the spatial distribution of thermoelectric currents, which has no equivalent in solid systems. Finally, we discuss various applications of this effect, such as the efficiency of liquid metal batteries."

Thermoelectric Effect Seen in Liquids for the First Time - IEEE Spectrum The insight could lead to breakthroughs in liquid-metal batteries

Liquid thermoelectricity (original press release)

Thermoelectricity at a gallium–mercury liquid metal interface (no public access)

Schematic 3D visualization of the thermoelectric interaction between two liquid metals. The gallium in the upper part is made transparent to better visualize the abnormally strong electric currents (in blue) and the associated magnetic field (in yellow).