Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Flexible carbon nanotube thermoelectric generators for wearable
By Nakayama H et al.·2026·Department of Materials Science, Japan·View original on Europe PMC →
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Original publication title: Flexible Mesh-Structured Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Thermoelectric Generators with Enhanced Heat Dissipation for Wearable Applications.
Plain-English summary
This study looked at a new type of power generator made from single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) that could be used in wearable devices, like smart caps or sensors. The researchers created a flexible version that helps manage heat better, which is important for performance. They tested it in real-life situations, like when someone wears a cap or touches the device with their fingers. They found that the more fingers that touched the generator, the more electricity it produced, reaching a stable output of 6.1 millivolts when worn outdoors in cool weather. Overall, this technology shows great promise for powering future wearable gadgets that could help with health monitoring and interacting with computers.
Abstract
Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) offer a promising approach for powering sensors in wearable systems. However, achieving high performance remains challenging because the high thermal conductivity of SWCNTs limits the temperature gradient within the device. We previously developed flexible SWCNT-TEGs with enhanced heat dissipation by dip-coating SWCNTs onto mesh sheets; however, their performance in real wearable environments had not been evaluated. In this study, we demonstrate the practical operation of these SWCNT-TEGs under conditions such as fingertip contact and cap-based wear. The output voltage increased proportionally with the number of fingers touching the device, and a stable voltage of 6.1 mV was obtained when the TEG was mounted on a cap and worn outdoors at 7 °C. These findings highlight the promising potential of flexible SWCNT-TEGs as power sources for next-generation wearable technologies, including human-computer interaction and health monitoring.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41597919