Solid Mystery: A Non-Conductor of Heat, Yet a Good Conductor of Electricity?

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In summary, the person is looking for a solid material that is a good conductor of electricity but a poor conductor of heat, and is easily available. They are working on a project to decompose water but are facing difficulties with the water boiling due to high electrode temperatures. They are seeking a solution to produce hydrogen quickly and in large quantities. Some suggestions were given, such as using carbon or a low voltage with high amperage. It is mentioned that this problem has been worked on before and the person may have found a solution since the conversation took place over 5 years ago.
  • #1
myaqub
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Good conductor Of Electricity

Can anyone help me by answeing the following question :-

"Please name a Solid which is good condcutor of Electricity, but is a non-conductor or at least a bad conductor of heat? and is easily available."

In the context of the above question I may add that I am at the verge of a major scientific breakthrough, in the way of which only one hurdle lies which you may deduct from my question.
 
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  • #2
in all cases I can think of a good electrical conductor is a good thermal conductor. electrons not only conduct electricity but due to their interaction with atoms in a lattice structure conduct heat as well.
 
  • #3
It's easier to fing the opposite - good thermal conductors that are poor electrical conductors, like diamond. If you didn't add "and is easily available" I would have suggested some High Tc Superconductor. These conduct electricity beatifully, but only do an average job with heat - and that's at about 50K. If you hadn't said "solid" then there's several liquids that work nicely, including sea water.

Clearly, you won't find a solution among conventional metals as they would obey the Wiedeman-Franz ratio. There may be something exotic out there that works. There may also be a simple solution that is avoiding me.

Could you give us a glimpse into where this is leading ? That may help. And unless you specify quantities for "good" and "bad" it's hard to tell exactly what you need. For instance, if you say electrical resistance needs to be at most 10^-6 ohm-cm (this is not great compared to metals like copper and silver which are 10^-8 but much better than semiconductors like silicon or germanium, which are about 10^-3 only) and thermal conductivity must be below 50 W/m-K (this is only poor compared to copper and silver which are about 400W/m-K, most other metals are also above 100W/m-K...but glass is about 1 W/m-K and wood is like 0.1 W/m-K) there there are a few phosphor bronzes that will work. If you make the requirement any stricter, it becomes difficult to find anything.
 
  • #4
"Please name a Solid which is good condcutor of Electricity, but is a non-conductor or at least a bad conductor of heat? and is easily available."

Maybe something in between like Carbon. Not the best conductor of either but can be shaped/sized to give you a lots of flexability.

Regards
 
  • #5
My purpose

Thanks to everyone who took time to reply to my query.

Well what I am trying to do is to decompose water, but in that process the temperature of electrodes goes so high that the water starts boiling and that is the main glitch in my project. What I want is that the water should not become steam, instead it should decompose into its two main components i.e Oxygen and Hydrogen.
And I can't use low voltage because I want to produce hydrogen in very large quantities in short time.
 
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  • #6
you only need about 2.2volts for your hydrogen cell the main component is amperage low V high A. and by the way been done before. the path you walk is well and truly deeply rutted LOL
 
  • #7
I bet he's figured this out since it's been over 5 years now.
 
  • #8
... or he graduated!
 
  • #9
thanks guys.i forgot to look at the date and when i did i though what a dork i am. maybe he has graduated and invented the hydrogen supper cell and making squillions. thanks lol
 

What is a good conductor of electricity?

A good conductor of electricity is a material that allows electricity to flow through it with minimal resistance. This means that the material has a high number of free electrons that can easily move around and carry an electric current.

What are some examples of good conductors of electricity?

Some common examples of good conductors of electricity are metals such as copper, silver, gold, and aluminum. Other materials such as water, graphite, and some types of soil can also act as good conductors.

Why are good conductors of electricity important?

Good conductors of electricity are important because they allow electricity to flow efficiently, making it possible for us to use it in various applications such as powering our homes and devices, and for industrial and medical purposes.

What properties make a material a good conductor of electricity?

A material with high electrical conductivity, low resistance, and a high number of free electrons is considered a good conductor of electricity. The material should also have the ability to maintain its physical properties when exposed to high electric currents.

Can a material be a good conductor of electricity and a good insulator at the same time?

No, a material cannot be a good conductor of electricity and a good insulator at the same time. A good conductor has a high number of free electrons that allow electricity to flow easily, while a good insulator has a low number of free electrons and restricts the flow of electricity.

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