Chinese Researchers Make Breakthrough in Thermoelectric Technology

Chinese researchers create a high-performance plastic-based thermoelectric material. Temperature variations can cause materials to create electricity. The study was published in the prominent journal Nature.

Credit: CFP

This revolutionary material, recognised for its lightweight and flexible qualities, can exploit temperature variations to generate power, representing a huge advancement in thermoelectric technology.

The combined study effort, led by scientists from the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ICCAS), Beihang University, and other respected institutions, recently published their findings in the prestigious magazine Nature.

Di Chong'an, the lead researcher at ICCAS and the study's corresponding author, stated 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 went on to explain that by connecting these materials with an electrical circuit and applying voltage, a temperature gradient is formed between the two ends. This finding offers up new possibilities for using lightweight and flexible plastics in thermoelectric power production, establishing the framework for advancements in wearable electronics, adhesive technologies, and temperature-regulating garments.

The study team developed a new thermoelectric material known as polymeric multi-heterojunction (PMHJ), which surpasses existing materials in the same temperature range in terms of thermoelectric properties. Furthermore, they proved that the PMHJ structure is compatible with solution coating processes, hence meeting the requirement for large-scale plastic thermoelectrics and aiding the development of cost-effective wearable thermoelectric solutions.

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• Chinese researchers develop high-performance plastic-based thermoelectric material

• Material can generate electricity from temperature differences

• Study published in prestigious journal Nature

Source: CGTN