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Researchers have come up with an exciting new flexible semiconductor that can turn body heat into electricity, thanks to a method called atomic “vacancy engineering.” This breakthrough could lead to some pretty cool wearable devices that are both flexible and great at generating power.
At Queensland University of Technology (QUT), the team found a new material that works as a flexible semiconductor for wearables. Their trick? They played around with the tiny spaces between atoms—called “vacancies”—inside a crystal structure.
In a study shared in Nature Communications, the researchers showed how this “vacancy engineering” boosted the performance of a semiconductor made of silver, copper, tellurium, selenium, and sulfur, called AgCu(Te,Se,S). By carefully adjusting those atomic gaps, they made the material better at turning body heat into electricity, which is perfect for powering wearable tech. Vacancy engineering is all about creating and managing these empty spots in a crystal to improve how a material handles heat, electricity, and flexibility.
The QUT team included first author Nanhai Li, along with Dr. Xiao-Lei Shi, Siqi Liu, Tian-Yi Cao, Min Zhang, Wan-Yu Lyu, Wei-Di Liu, Dongchen Qi, and Professor Zhi-Gang Chen, all part of QUT’s research groups focused on chemistry, materials science, and zero-emission power.
Making a Flexible Semiconductor
The Nature Communications article explains how the QUT team used computer designs to guide them in creating this flexible AgCu(Te,Se,S) semiconductor with a simple, budget-friendly melting method. Nanhai Li mentioned that controlling the atomic vacancies not only made the material better at converting heat to electricity but also gave it great flexibility, so it can be shaped for all sorts of practical uses. To show how it could work, they designed small, flexible devices that could easily attach to someone’s arm.
Solving Challenges for Wearable Tech
Nanhai Li said this study tackled the challenge of making the AgCu(Te,Se,S) semiconductor better at turning heat into electricity while keeping it flexible and stretchy—exactly what wearable devices need. “Thermoelectric materials are awesome because they can turn heat into electricity without pollution, noise, or moving parts,” he explained. “The human body is always giving off heat, especially when we exercise, creating a bigger temperature difference with the surroundings.”
Professor Chen added that as flexible electronics keep advancing, the need for flexible thermoelectric devices is growing fast, and QUT is leading the way in this research. In a recent study published in Science, Professor Chen and his team also created an ultra-thin, flexible film that powers wearable devices using body heat, so you don’t even need batteries.
What’s Next for Flexible Thermoelectric Devices
“The key to moving this tech forward is exploring lots of possibilities,” Professor Chen said. Most flexible thermoelectric devices today are made with either inorganic thin films, organic materials on flexible bases, or a mix of both. Organic materials often don’t perform well, while inorganic ones are great at conducting heat and electricity but tend to be stiff. The semiconductor in this study is a rare inorganic material that’s both flexible and high-performing, though researchers are still figuring out the science behind making it even better while keeping it bendable.
What do you think about powering wearables with body heat? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Source: SciTechDaily
