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https://medium.com/innovations-in-technology-and-healthcare/if-your-t-shirt-is-mobile-charger-f3f94e6c8956

Snip

Researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore (NTU Singapore) have created a stretchable, water-resistant “FABRIC” that converts the energy produced by bodily motion into electrical energy.
energy harvesting from various human motions
How did they develop it?

To create the prototype, the researchers first created a stretchable electrode by screen printing a “ink” made of silver and the rubber-like substance styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), which is used in handlebar grips and teethers to make them more elastic and waterproof. Then,

a schematic illustration of the fabrication process

This stretchable electrode is attached to a piece of nanofiber fabric that is primarily composed of two materials: lead-free perovskites, a promising material for solar cells and LEDs, and poly(vinylidene fluoride)-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDFHPF), a polymer that generates an electrical charge when compressed, bent, or stretched.

How does it work?

The NTU team’s electricity-generating fabric is an energy-collecting technology that converts vibrations from even the slightest daily body motions into power.

The prototype fabric generates energy in two different ways: by piezoelectricity when it is squeezed or compressed, and via friction with other materials like skin or rubber gloves (triboelectric effect). Through the use of triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators (TENGs and PENGs), mechanical energy from the environment (such as wind, rain, and tidal energy) and human motions (such as walking, running, clapping, and bending the elbow) can be harvested and transformed into electricity to power wearable technology.

While PENGs convert mechanical energy to electricity by exploiting the dipole moment through the deformation of piezoelectric materials, TENGs create electricity through a combined action of triboelectrification and electrostatic induction.

This prototype fabric can power tiny electronic devices like LEDs and commercial capacitors with 2.34 watts of electricity per square meter of surface area. Researchers also said that this cloth won’t have any negative consequences on body movements.
What happens if washed or folded?

A polymer that, when pressed or squeezed, transforms mechanical stress into electrical energy is an essential part of the fabric. To maintain it sturdy, flexible, and waterproof, it is also constructed with a base layer of elastic spandex that is merged with a rubber-like material.

The fabric’s ability to retain constant electrical output for up to five months while being washed, folded, and crumpled shows its potential for usage as a smart textile and wearable power source.
Uses

With the aid of this fabric, we can create smart clothing in the future. Mobile phones, smartwatches, and other wearable electronics may all be charged using the power produced by this cloth. As a result, there will be less need for alternative electricity sources. The sole of the shoes may also be made of this material.

Research paper: https://www3.ntu.edu.sg/CorpComms2/Releases/NR2022/NR_220512_energy/energy%20harvesting.pdf

https://medium.com/innovations-in-technology-and-healthcare/if-your-t-shirt-is-mobile-charger-f3f94e6c8956