Fine Nanowires Generate Power
14 November 2008, 11:23
Categories: nanotubes-wires-fullerenes smt-energy-piezoelectric
Piezoelectric materials are able to convert mechanical energy, such as a force imparted on the material by pressure, into electricity. Stressing the material under compression, tension, shear, or bending, will produce an output voltage. Piezoelectric materials have a broad range of applications and are commonly used as sensors; a small amount of mechanical energy can induce a large voltage that can be interpreted as a signal. They are also promising as energy harvesting devices for portable applications, whereby piezoelectrics might replace batteries for some devices.
Certain crystals and ceramics are common piezoelectric materials, but there has been much interest in piezoelectric nanowires as of late. Researchers at Georgia Tech and the University of Dayton have created a small power generator that uses piezoelectric nanowires. The nanowires were aligned vertically and attached to a substrate at one end so that, like a tiny forest, they were free to move at the other end. ZnO fine-wires were used, and the substrate is a flexible Kapton polyimide film. When the wires are repeatedly stretched and then released, each nanowire creates an oscillating voltage of up to ~50 mV. The researchers think the nanowire generators could be useful for powering nanodevices.
Posted by: The Editors
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