Science

Human Heat to Electric Energy: New Materials Will Power Gadgets Uninterruptedly

Scientists from the National University of Science and Technology MISIS (Russia) together with their colleagues from Lulea University of Technology (Sweden) and Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany) developed the world’s first thermoelectric material with ordered nanotubes. Due to the polymer nature, it is flexible, and the addition of nanotubes several times increases its electrical conductivity. In the future, this material can be used to charge mobile devices without an additional power source: one such bracelet or case would allow one to charge their watch or phone directly from the heat of the human body. An article about the development is published in Advanced Functional Materials.