IIT Mandi Researchers Find Way To Use Body Heat To Charge Mobile Phone

Researchers at IIT Mandi have created materials that efficiently convert body heat into electricity. This ground-breaking study could provide far-reaching implications for the renewable energy sector, as they could be used in a variety of applications. The announcement about thermonuclear material was made by the institute in June last year, but it has now been published in Germany scientific journal Angewandte Chemie. It was led by Dr Ajay Soni, Associate Professor at IIT Mandi's School of Physical Sciences. He shared a post on X last week explaining how the thermoelectric generator works.

"Here is the final version of our recent work on flexible thermoelectric generator and human touch sensor with thermoelectric effects, published in @angew_chem. Interesting nanomaterials and outcome," Dr Soni said in the post.

Here is the final version of our recent work on flexible thermoelectric generator and human touch sensor with thermoelectric effects, published in @angew_chem. Interesting nanomaterials and outcome.@iit__mandi , @serbonline ,@IndiaDST https://t.co/m7xWDrNeyH pic.twitter.com/FVqNO4QQmH

— Ajay Soni (@ajaysoni30) February 8, 2024

As per the study, the device will start charging only with human touch. And it can charge almost any electronic gadget.

The research team created the thermoelectric module from silver telluride nanowire. They showed that the device begins to deliver a significant output voltage upon human touch.

"Charging low power flexible electronic devices is no longer a problem. These devices will be charged by the heat of the human body. We have developed a thermoelectric module for this," Dr Soni said about the discovery.

What is thermoelectricity?

According to Science Direct, it is the direct conversion of heat into electricity or electricity into heat through two related mechanisms.

The first part of the thermoelectric effect - the conversion of heat to electricity - was discovered in 1821 by the Estonian physicist Thomas Seebeck and was explored in more detail by French physicist Jean Peltier, and it is sometimes referred to as the Peltier-Seebeck effect.

The reverse phenomenon, where heating or cooling can be produced by running an electric current through a material, was discovered in 1851 by William Thomson, also known as Lord Kelvin (for whom the absolute Kelvin temperature scale is named).