SYDNEY, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Researchers in Australia have developed an ultra-thin and flexible film that could power wearable devices using body heat rather than batteries.

In a new study, the research team said the new technology could also be used to cool electronic chips, helping electronic devices run more efficiently.

Zhigang Chen, leader of the research team from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), said the breakthrough tackled a major challenge in creating flexible thermoelectric devices capable of converting body heat into power.

"Flexible thermoelectric devices can be worn comfortably on the skin where they effectively turn the temperature difference between the human body and surrounding air into electricity," he said in a media release on Friday.

Researchers said the approach offered the potential of a sustainable energy source for wearable electronics.

In the new study, the team used tiny crystals, or nanobinders, as a cost-effective technology for making flexible thermoelectric films.

"We created a printable A4-sized film with record-high thermoelectric performance, exceptional flexibility, scalability and low cost, making it one of the best flexible thermoelectrics available," Chen said.

He said that the technology could also be used for personal thermal management where body heat could power a wearable heating, ventilating and cooling system.

The team included researchers from QUT, the University of Queensland, the Australian Research Council Research Hub in Zero-emission Power Generation for Carbon Neutrality, and the University of Surrey in Britain. Enditem

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