With new nanotechnology developed by the University of Surrey, the energy generated during your morning run can power your wearables.
A team of researchers at the University of Surrey's Institute for Advanced Technology (ATI) has developed an efficient, flexible nanogenerator with a 140-fold higher power density than conventional nanogenerators. The researchers believe that this breakthrough could pave the way for the development of nanodevices as efficient as modern solar cells in the future.
This device is capable of converting small mechanical energy generated during daily activities, such as motion, into large amounts of electrical energy, similar to how an amplifier enhances sound in an electronic system. For example, if a conventional nanogenerator can produce 10 milliwatts of power, this new technology can increase the output power to more than 1,000 milliwatts, allowing it to harvest energy in a variety of everyday applications.
ATI's nanogenerators work similarly to relay races, where energy (charge) is not transferred by a single electrode (equivalent to a runner) on its own. Instead, each "runner" collects an electric charge, increases the energy, and then passes it on to the next electrode, increasing the total energy over time, a process known as the charge regeneration effect.
Md Delowar Hussain, lead author of the study and University of Surrey, said:
"The goal of nanogenerators is to capture and harness the energy generated during everyday activities, such as morning jogs, mechanical vibrations, ocean waves, or opening and closing doors. The key innovation of our nanogenerators is the fine-tuning of 34 miniature energy harvesters using laser technology, allowing production to be scaled up and energy efficiency further improved.
"It's exciting that the energy harvesting density of a small device like ours could one day rival the power of a solar panel, powering everything from self-powered sensors to smart home systems that don't need to replace batteries."
This device is a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that captures the energy generated during simple daily movements and converts it into electricity. It works by converting energy into contact with a material that is charged after contact and then separating – similar to when a balloon is rubbed against a hair, the balloon sticks to the hair due to static electricity.
Figure: New nanodevices can power wearable devices
Dr Bhaskar Dudem, co-author of the study at the University of Surrey, said:
"We will soon be setting up a company focused on the development of self-powered, non-invasive medical sensors using triboelectric technology. These innovations will drive new developments in the field of sustainable medical technology, enhance the sensitivity of the device, and emphasize its scalability in industry.”
Professor Ravi Silva, co-author of the study and director of the Institute for Advanced Technology at the University of Surrey, added:
"With the development of technology, it is expected that we will have more than 50 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices that will need to be powered in the next few years. As a result, there is an urgent need for localized green energy solutions, which could be a convenient wireless technology capable of powering small devices using the energy generated by any mechanical movement. This provides an opportunity for the science and engineering community to find innovative and sustainable solutions to global challenges.
"We are very excited about the potential of these nanogenerators to transform the way energy is used. We can envision these devices being applied to self-powered IoT smart systems such as autonomous wireless operation, security monitoring and smart home systems, and even to help people with dementia, which is also an important area of research at the University of Surrey.”
The study has been published in the Journal Nano Energy.
