Researchers at Wake Forest University’s Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials have developed a CNT-based technology called Power Felt, which can convert body heat into an electrical current. Using carbon nanotubes locked up in flexible plastic fibers, the device actually feels like fabric. It uses temperature differences, such as room temperature versus body temperature, to create the electrical charge, said CNMM’s director David Carroll.
"Generally thermoelectrics are an underdeveloped technology for harvesting energy, yet there is so much opportunity," said team member Corey Hewitt. Applications include the ability to recapture a car's waste energy to improve fuel mileage or to power the radio, air conditioning or navigation system. Power Felt could also be used in emergencies to generate a charge for flashlights and cellphones, in homes to insulate pipes or lower gas or electric bills.
The research appears in the journal Nano Letters.