Energy News  
ENERGY TECH
Static electricity as strong as lightening can be saved in a battery
by Staff Writers
Pohang, South Korea (SPX) Feb 07, 2020

Image of the triboelectric nanogenerator and integrated circuit developed by the research team

Static electricity shock which occurs more often in winter is unpleasant. When two different objects are in repeated contact, it causes friction which then creates static electricity.

This can be found easily in our everyday actions and it is very annoying even between the lovers. In fact, there is no electric current flowing in static electricity but tens of thousands of volts occurs, equal to the power of lightening. Then, can we collect static electricity for use? The answer is yes.

Prof. Dong Sung Kim and his PhD candidate student, Donghyeon Yoo from POSTECH Mechanical Engineering Department and Prof. Jae-Yoon Sim and his PhD student Seoulmin Lee from POSTECH Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering jointly with the research teams of Prof. Woonbong Hwang of POSTECH and Dongwhi Choi of Kyung Hee University developed a new technology to increase the total amount of energy generated by a 'triboelectric nanogenerator' which can converts static electricity into power. In the meantime, they also succeeded in developing an integrated circuit that makes this energy into practical electric energy.

Energy harvesting is a technology that harvests and converts energies, which occur in everyday life such as human actions, light, heat, vibration of an object and electromagnetic wave and disappear quickly, into usable energies. Among many of the energy harvesting technologies, a triboelectric nanogenerator is a device that obtains static electricity, which can be found when two different materials are in contact and detached.

So far, there have been many studies on triboelectric nanogenerator, however, it has been difficult to commercialize because of its limitations such as small quantity of energy converted from harvested static electricity and that power is only generated when there is friction.

The joint research team fabricated the nano surface structure by using nanoimprinting process to intensify friction under same contact and separate condition. They also used poling process to produce more static electricity under the same given frictional condition due to ease of electron transfer between two objects.

Nanoimprinting process is a method that forms nano surface structures in thermoplastic polymer by stacking nano molds with the polymer films, and then heating under a certain pressure. Poling process is a method that rearranges molecular structures orderly by changing directions of dipoles of the materials in contact and by applying high voltage.

In the meantime, the joint research team successfully invented an integrated circuit that converted temporary and unstable electric energy generated by a triboelectric nanogenerator into reliable power source. They demonstrated that even when 2.5 uW of energy was input, the conversion efficiency recorded over 70%. It was the first time the team verified that stable power of 1.8V was obtained without external power supply when this newly developed integrated circuit was used. This amount of power was enough to operate sensors of thermo and humidity meters, a calculator and more.

This research was the first demonstration of a triboelectric nanogenerator fabricated by nanoimprinting process using heat and pressure and poling process simultaneously. By using these newly introduced triboelectric nanogenerator and integrated circuit, it is possible to increase the total amount of electric energy produced by obtained static electricity and to convert it into reliable energy. It is expected that this technology can be a reference for future development of a self-powered system which operates sensors without external power source.

Prof. Dong Sung Kim said, "The conventional triboelectric nanogenerators faced challenges in obtaining reliable electric power because it used an auxiliary power source to operate commercial integrated circuit or to operate itself independently. However, our findings can overcome these limitations by converting static electricity into reliable power which can be used instantly. It is also meaningful in a way this research was conducted jointly with colleagues from various fields of academic discipline."

Research paper


Related Links
Pohang University Of Science and Technology
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


ENERGY TECH
New electrode design may lead to more powerful batteries
Boston MA (SPX) Feb 04, 2020
New research by engineers at MIT and elsewhere could lead to batteries that can pack more power per pound and last longer, based on the long-sought goal of using pure lithium metal as one of the battery's two electrodes, the anode. The new electrode concept comes from the laboratory of Ju Li, the Battelle Energy Alliance Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering and professor of materials science and engineering. It is described in the journal Nature, in a paper co-authored by Yuming Chen and Z ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

ENERGY TECH
New research could aid cleaner energy technologies

ECB's Lagarde warns of 'danger of doing nothing' on climate

Climate crisis spawns high tide of greenwashing

Thunberg, Trump to offer competing visions at climate-focused Davos

ENERGY TECH
Scientists offer an inkjet printing technology to make compact, flexible battery elements

Static electricity as strong as lightening can be saved in a battery

Closely spaced hydrogen atoms could facilitate superconductivity in ambient conditions

Making high-temperature superconductivity disappear to understand its origin

ENERGY TECH
UK looks to offshore wind for green energy transition

Britain's green energy sector brightens: survey data

Consider marine life when implementing offshore renewable power

Supporting structures of wind turbines contribute to wind farm blockage effect

ENERGY TECH
Lasers etch a 'perfect' solar energy absorber

NEXTracker releases NX Navigator Control System for utility-scale solar power plants

Yotta to install SolarLEAF at CSU Dominguez Hills

A consensus statement establishes the protocols to assess and report stability of perovskite photovoltaic devices

ENERGY TECH
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and CEZ signs small modular reactor tech deal with Czech Republic

Framatome signs contracts with Tennessee Valley Authority

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy begins NRC licensing process for BWRX-300 Small Modular Reactor

Molecule modification could improve reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel

ENERGY TECH
Vast amounts of valuable energy, nutrients, water lost in world's fast-rising wastewater streams

UCF researchers work on project to develop cleaner-burning, renewable fuels

New way of recycling plant-based plastics instead of letting them rot in landfill

Ecofriendly catalyst for converting methane into useful gases using light instead of heat

ENERGY TECH
Norway's Equinor sets green goals but activists not satisfied

Report reveals elevated benzene levels at 10 U.S. oil refineries

Russia boosts oil supply to India

Nine arrested in Greenpeace protest at BP in London

ENERGY TECH
Climate takes centre stage at Siemens shareholder meet

UK vows action after envoy slams plans for UN climate talks

Arctic permafrost thaw plays greater role in climate change than previously estimated

Moscow has warmest January on record









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.