Solid-state device harvests body heat to power battery-free wearables and IoT sensors

A research team affiliated with UNIST has unveiled a technological advancement that allows body heat to generate electricity sufficient to power electronic devices. This innovation paves the way for the commercialization of battery-free wearable gadgets and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors that operate solely on heat generated by the human body.

Led by Professor Sung-Yeon Jang from the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST, the research team developed the world’s first high-performance n-type solid-state thermogalvanic cell capable of powering actual electronic devices. The paper is published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science.

Thermogalvanic cells are compact generators that convert temperature differences—such as the human body temperature (~36°C) versus surrounding air (20–25°C)—into electrical energy. However, due to the minimal temperature gradient, previous systems struggled to produce enough power to operate real-world electronics.

The newly developed solid-state device overcomes this challenge by delivering sufficient voltage and current to power practical devices. While solid-state designs typically offer advantages such as safety from leakage, ion mobility issues within the electrolyte have historically limited their current output. The research team engineered an electrolyte that facilitates efficient ion transport, and further, the thermally driven ion diffusion enhances overall output voltage.

By connecting 100 of these cells in series—similar to building with LEGO blocks—approximately 1.5V can be generated from body heat, comparable to standard AA batteries. Connecting 16 such series-connected modules enables the activation of devices like LED lights, electronic clocks, and temperature/humidity sensors.

Notably, the cell’s Seebeck coefficient (voltage change per temperature difference) is –40.05 mV/K, representing up to a fivefold increase over conventional n-type cells. The device also demonstrated excellent durability, maintaining consistent performance after 50 charge-discharge cycles.

The core of this solid-state cell comprises a conductive polymer, PEDOT:PSS, and a redox couple of Fe(ClO₄)₂/3. Electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged sulfonate groups (–SO₃⁻) of the polymer and the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ ions establish a stable structure, while perchlorate ions (ClO₄⁻) are free to move, facilitating ion diffusion and thermodiffusion effects that boost power output.

Professor Jang stated, “This research marks a new milestone in low-temperature waste heat energy harvesting and flexible energy conversion devices. It has the potential to serve as a self-powered system for wearable electronics and autonomous IoT devices driven solely by body heat.”