The special cloth can utitlize sunshine and body movements to charge small electronics like watches and mobile phones. (Chinanews.com/Chongqing University)

A research team at Chongqing University has invented a special cloth that can generate electricity, Chinanews.com reported on Sept. 28.

Fan Xing, one of the inventors, explained that low-cost and lightweight polyester fibers are used in the cloth. The polyester fiber is coated with a metal layer and semiconductor to collect and store energy. A machine then weaves the fiber together with wool into a 0.32-millimeter-thick cloth.

"The flexible, breathable and tightly-knit cloth can follow body movements. Such features make it easy to integrate with other functional fabrics or electric units to form a flexible, self-powered system," said Fan.

Photo shows a piece of the electricity-generating cloth invented by Fan Xing's team. (Chinanews.com/Chongqing University)

The process works because certain materials become electrically charged after they come into contact with other material; this process is called triboelectric effect. Fiber friction nano-generators in the special cloth can be arranged in accordance with human movement to maximize the electricity generated, adjust the power output and fit different environments.

Although the current research team has not conducted long-term durability tests on the cloth, the fabric maintains a good performance after 500 trials. In addition to wearable apparel, the cloth can also be used to make larger self-powered products, or be integrated with other functional fabrics.