It all starts with an ordinary silk thread, coated with a conductive plastic material. It shows promising properties for converting textiles into electricity chargers. This is how the clothes that serve as chargers are made. This advance has been presented by a research group led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.
Thermoelectric textiles convert temperature differences into an electrical potential. This technology can be very useful in our daily lives and in society. Connected to a sensor, textiles can power these devices without the need for batteries. These sensors can be used to monitor our movements or measure our heart rate.
Drivers
The silk thread the researchers tested has a coating of a conductive polymer. It is a plastic material with a chemical structure that makes the material electrically conductive.
«Polymers are flexible, light and easy to use in both liquid and solid form. In addition, they are not toxic,” Mariavittoria Craighero says in a statement. It belongs to the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology.
The researchers made two thermoelectric generators: a button sewn with thread and a piece of fabric with threads sewn on it. They placed the thermoelectric fabrics between a hot and a cold surface. Thus they were able to observe how the tension in the measuring instrument increased.
The largest piece of cloth showed around 6 millivolts. It could be used to charge portable electronic devices via USB connector. Yarn performance is maintained for at least one year. It is also machine washable.
Potential
The new thread has great potential. It would be possible to develop an automated process and scale it up. Clothing that serves as a charger would have a great commercial impact.
«We have now shown that it is possible to produce conductive organic materials that can fulfill the functions and properties that these textiles require. This is an important step forward. “There are fantastic opportunities in thermoelectric textiles and this research can be of great benefit to society,” they indicate.
