Researchers at Cornell University used machine learning and X-ray techniques to explain the unusual increase in thermal conductivity in germanium telluride (GeTe) as it is heated. They discovered that as GeTe changes phase from rhombohedral to cubic, the bonds between certain atoms (Ge-Ge and Te-Te) strengthen significantly, which boosts thermal conductivity. This insight, confirmed through advanced computational methods and bonding analysis, could enhance the design of materials for thermoelectric and other energy applications.
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