Fabrication and measurement of the intrinsically elastic tegs. Credit: Nature (2025). Doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09387 -z
A Team Led by Scientists from Peking University Has Developed A Rubber-Like Material that Converts Body Heat ITO Electricity. This Advance could allow the next generation of wearable electronics to generate their own power continuously without the need for bulky batteries or constant recording.
“Our thermolectric elastomers combine skin-like-like elasticity with high energy conversion Efficiency, Paving the way for next-generation self-generated wearables,” the TEAM SAID.
The science of thermo selectricity
The new material works on the Principle of Thermolectricity, A Process where Temperature Differences Create an Electrical Current. For example, if you have a hot side and a cold side, the electrons on the hot side has more energy and will naturally move the cooler side. This flow of charged particles creates the electricity. The Bigger the Temperature Difference, The More Electricity is generated.
The special elastic polymer Composite Created by the Chinese Team Takes Advantage of the Constant Heat from your body. Your skin is always at a warm 37 ° c, while the Air Around You is Much Coole, usually between 20 ° C and 30 ° C. The New Material Captures This Difference and Turns It Directly INTO Electrical Current.
One of the main innovations here, as described by the scientists in a paper Published in the journey NatureIs the material’s rubber-like stretchiness. It can recover its shape even after being stretched up to 150% of its original length. Additional, it can withstand an extrame strain of 850%.
To improve the material’s electrical properties, the team added a special doping agent called n-dmbi. A doping agent is a substance added in very small amounts to a material to change its electrical properties. In this case, to make it more conductive. The result was a significant boost in performance, Making the Material Highly Effective at Turning Heat into Electricity.
This development marks a significant step forward for n-type thermolectric elastomers. These are materials that Conduct Electricity and MainTain Conductivity even while under mechanical strain. Until Now, Scientists Had Struggled to Develop an elastomer that was bot highly elastic and a good health of electricity. This Rubber-Like Elasticity Ensures It Stays Perfectly Presged Against The Skin, Meaning it can easily collect body heat and convert ito Electricity.
That is going to make it suitable for a range of applications, not only wearables. These include Health Monitors for Medical Patients That Cold Be Wort as a Patch or Integrated into Clothing. The Material Cold also be used for implantable devices that can be controlled generate power from the body’s heat.
Written for you by author Paul arnoldEdited by Lisa LockAnd Fact-CHACKED and Reviewed by Robert egan—This article is the result of careful human work. We relay on readers like you to keep independent science counalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You’ll Get an ad-free Account as a Thank-You.
More information:
Kai liu et al, n-type thermolectric elastomers, Nature (2025). Doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09387 -z
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