COOKING could soon power up your phone: Radical new material can charge batteries from heat

  • The new material that can generate electricity from heat and cold air
  • It works because temperature difference in a material can generate electricity
  • The material could generate electricity from body heat through jewelry
  • Or it could even charge a cellphone through a cooking pan in just a few hours
  • It could also be used in developing countries where electricity is in short supply and the only source of energy is the fire in stoves

By CECILE BORKHATARIA FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: | Updated:

A new material that can generate electricity from heat and cold air has been developed by researchers at the University of Utah. 

The material works via process called the 'thermoelectric effect', where the temperature difference in a material generates an electric voltage.  

The material has the potential to generate electricity from body heat through jewelry such as a ring, or even charge a cellphone through a cooking pan in just a few hours.

The new inexpensive and bio-friendly material can generate electricity through a thermoelectric process involving heat and cold air. In this graphic, the heat from a hot stove, coupled with the cooler water or food in a cooking pot, could generate enough electricity to charge a cellphone

The new inexpensive and bio-friendly material can generate electricity through a thermoelectric process involving heat and cold air. In this graphic, the heat from a hot stove, coupled with the cooler water or food in a cooking pot, could generate enough electricity to charge a cellphone

The research team, led by University of Utah materials science and engineering professor Ashutosh Tiwari, found that combining the elements calcium, cobalt and terbium can create a material that can generate electricity through a thermoelectric process involving heat and cold air. 

The researchers say that the material is inexpensive to produce and bio and eco-friendly. 

It works via thermoelectric effect - when the temperature difference in a material generates an electrical voltage.

When one side of the material is hot and the other end is cold, charge carriers from the hot end move through the material to the cold end, generating an electrical voltage. 

The new material needs less than a one-degree difference in temperature to produce a detectable voltage.  

University of Utah materials science and engineering Professor Ashutosh Tiwari and his team have produced an inexpensive and bio-friendly material that can generate electricity through a thermoelectric process involving heat and cold air. The material (the black blocks between the two plates pictured) could be used with cooking pots to charge phones or jewelry to power health sensors

University of Utah materials science and engineering Professor Ashutosh Tiwari and his team have produced an inexpensive and bio-friendly material that can generate electricity through a thermoelectric process involving heat and cold air. The material (the black blocks between the two plates pictured) could be used with cooking pots to charge phones or jewelry to power health sensors

For many years, researchers searched for the right kind of material that makes this process more efficient and produces more electricity and is not toxic.

While other materials can generate power in this way, such as cadmium, telluride or  mercury based materials, they are toxic to humans. 

But the material produced by Professor Tiwari is bio-friendly and could be safe to use with humans. 

'There are no toxic chemicals involved,' said Professor Tiwari. 

'It's very efficient and can be used for a lot of day-to-day applications,' he said. 

Power plants could also use the new material to produce more electricity from the heat generates from the plants the escapes. 'In power plants, about 60 percent of energy is wasted,' said postdoctoral researcher and first author of the research paper, Dr Shrikant Saini

Power plants could also use the new material to produce more electricity from the heat generates from the plants the escapes. 'In power plants, about 60 percent of energy is wasted,' said postdoctoral researcher and first author of the research paper, Dr Shrikant Saini

The applications for the new material are 'endless,' said Professor Tiwari. 

Just some of the potential applications for it include charging mobile devices through cooking plans, or in cars where it draws from the heat of the engine.

It could also be built into jewelry that uses body heat to power implantable medical devices such as blood-glucose monitors or heart monitors.

Airplanes could even generate extra power by using heat from within the cabin as opposed to the cold air outside. 

Professor Ashutosh Tiwari, a University of Utah materials science and engineering professor and leader of the research team, says the new material could be used in developing countries where electricity is in short supply and the only source of energy is the fire in stoves

Professor Ashutosh Tiwari, a University of Utah materials science and engineering professor and leader of the research team, says the new material could be used in developing countries where electricity is in short supply and the only source of energy is the fire in stoves

Power plants could also use the new material to produce more electricity from the heat generates from the plants the escapes. 

'In power plants, about 60 percent of energy is wasted,' said postdoctoral researcher and first author of the research paper, Dr Shrikant Saini.

'With this, you could reuse some of that 60 percent,' he said. 

Professor Tiwari says the new material could be used in developing countries where electricity is in short supply and the only source of energy is the fire in stoves.

WHY IS MERCURY TOXIC TO HUMANS?  

Mercury exposure most commonly occurs when people eat certain types of fish and shellfish that have high levels of mercury in their tissues.

CDC data shows that most people have blood mercury levels below levels associated with the possible health effects. 

But mercury is a powerful neurotoxin and people exposed to high levels of mercury may experience health effects such as:

  • Loss of peripheral vision
  • A 'pins and needles' feeling, usually in the hands, feet and around the mouth
  • Lack of coordination of movements
  • Impairment of speech, hearing and walking
  • Muscle weakness 

Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency  

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