Chinese researchers break thermoelectric records with a flexible material that turns waste heat into wearable energy
A breakthrough from the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows how future smartwatches and wearables may be powered entirely by the user’s own skin.
As detailed in the academic paper (via Science), the team of researchers at the Institute of Chemistry at CAS has developed a new, flexible thermoelectric material that converts waste body heat into electricity with record-breaking efficiency.
Thermoelectric materials aren’t necessarily new, but making them flexible enough for wearable devices—while maintaining strong performance—has long been a challenge. However, the specialized material developed here—an irregular, hierarchical-porous polymer (IHP-TEP)—may have shown the path forward.
To you and me, it’s essentially a sponge-like plastic filled with a network of microscopic and nanoscale holes. And these tiny gaps create a barrier that blocks the microscopic vibrations (known as phonons) that usually carry heat away, reducing heat loss by 72%.
Simultaneously, the confined spaces within the material force the polymer molecules to pack more closely together. This creates highly efficient channels for electrical charges to travel through, boosting electrical mobility by over 25%.
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Record-breaking efficiency
The result is a record-high figure of merit—roughly 25% greater than the previous record for polymer-based materials.
By successfully decoupling heat flow from electrical flow, the researchers have created a material that is not only high-performing but also lightweight and flexible, making it suitable for integration into anything from watch straps to smart clothing.
Because the material can be produced using simple spray-coating techniques, it’s also much more viable for mass production than traditional, brittle thermoelectric materials.
While we’re still eons away from the self-charging consumer smartwatch stage with this technology, the research here shows a scalable pathway toward wearables that sip energy from your pulse, potentially extending battery life by days, weeks, or even indefinitely.
