Imagine clothing that not only keeps you comfortable but also powers your wearable devices. Researchers from the Chinese mainland have made this a reality with their groundbreaking development of high-performance thermoelectric plastics. Published in the esteemed journal Nature, this innovative material combines lightness and flexibility with the ability to generate electricity from temperature differences.
Di Chong'an, the study's corresponding author and a researcher at the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ICCAS), explained that many conductive polymers can serve as thermoelectric materials. \"When a temperature gradient is applied to these materials, an electromotive force is generated between the two ends of the material,\" he said.
Furthermore, Di highlighted that establishing an electrical circuit across these materials not only generates electricity but also creates a temperature gradient. \"These phenomena open up the possibility of using lightweight and flexible plastics for thermoelectric power generation, paving the way for the development of adhesive and wearable electronics and temperature-regulating clothing,\" he added.
The research team introduced a thermoelectric material called polymeric multi-heterojunction (PMHJ), which outperforms commercially available materials within the same temperature range. Additionally, the PMHJ structure is compatible with solution coating methods, making it suitable for large-area plastic thermoelectrics. This compatibility also enables the creation of affordable wearable thermoelectric technologies, bringing us closer to sustainable and innovative solutions in wearable electronics.
Reference(s):
Chinese researchers develop high-performance thermoelectric plastics
cgtn.com
