Scientists use sintered porous media to build compact, efficient heat exchangers

https://www.uec.ac.jp/eng/news/announcement/2021/20211018_3785.html

"Porous materials are not attached on the heat transfer tube but are filled inside it... can be used in existing heat transfer tubes... sintering the heat transfer tube and the porous media can improve the contact between the fiber and the wall of the tube, reducing thermal resistance and enhancing heat exchange... Based on the temperature differences between the incoming and the outgoing air... heat transfer in the tubes sintered with porous media five times greater than the conventional heat transfer tubes"

Related:

From waste to resource: Turning exhaust heat into energy with unprecedented efficiency

https://techxplore.com/news/2021-10-resource-exhaust-energy-unprecedented-efficiency.html

Atomic-scale 'lasagna' keeps heat at bay

https://phys.org/news/2021-10-atomic-scale-lasagna-bay.html

Mini electricity generator made from quantum dots

https://phys.org/news/2022-01-mini-electricity-quantum-dots.html