One day not so far away we can recharge our smartphone with simple hot water. Researchers from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, engaged in rocket development, have created (as reported by local media) a new type of “insulated water bottle” (a thermos ) equipped with a thermoelectric chip which can transform the heat of water into electricity to charge a smartphone.

A solution in the name of environmental enability, a “circular” use of resources. Thermoelectric devices are made of materials capable of converting a temperature difference into electricity . Some research had suggested that thermoelectric devices could collect waste heat and produce electricity to power a battery on spacecraft: so why not use the same technology for a daily application?

“Our solution to this problem is a thermoelectric device based on a bottle of water, a heat source to generate electricity, “said research head Ma Wei, adding that no electrical source is required. In a demonstration video, a thermoelectric device was integrated into the bottle cap equipped with a USB charging port . When a researcher has connected an iPhone to the bottle via a cable, the charging battery icon appeared on the screen , thus signaling the operation of the technology – scholars assure that produces a low voltage and there is no risk of short circuit.

“We found that the water bottle can provide from 20 to 30 minutes of electricity pouring from 300 to 500 milliliters of boiling water , “said Sheng Jiang, another researcher in the group. Researchers are now trying to sign agreements with some companies to turn the idea into a commercial product to a price between 150 yuan (approximately 23 US dollars) and 200 yuan. The thermoelectric chip makes the bottle heavier than 200 grams compared to a traditional product of the same size, but using a lightweight thermal insulation material originally designed for spacecraft instead of a stainless steel container, the portability is not affected.