Science has come close to creating new sources of energy that not long ago seemed like something from the realm of science fiction. Researchers are developing clothing capable of generating electricity from walking.
Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) convert mechanical vibrations into electricity, opening up prospects for creating new wearable devices. Scientists have already proposed using a technique called kirigami to create flexible materials and have developed “smart textiles.”
Clothing made from TENGs can charge gadgets, providing a lightweight and safe alternative energy source.
Physicist Zhonglin Wang from the Georgia Institute of Technology was the first to explore the piezoelectric effect using zinc oxide rods. He then switched to studying the triboelectric effect, which occurs when nanomaterials are mechanically stimulated.
Most of the experiments are conducted at the nano level, using graphene monolayers and other materials. Two dielectrics rub against each other, resulting in the generation of displacement current. One of the main advantages of TENGs is high voltage at low current, allowing devices with a power output of up to 100 watts per square meter to be created.
In medicine, TENGs can be used in the development of biocompatible devices and sensors that measure human health parameters. They can also be used to treat obesity, for example, by affecting nerves in the stomach area to induce a feeling of satiety.
Triboelectric nanogenerators operate through mechanical movement—wind, rain, or human motion—and do not require the use of fossil fuels, making them environmentally friendly energy sources. In China, the first prototypes of such devices have already appeared. These are marine buoys that generate electricity by moving with the waves.
Another area of application for TENGs is solar energy. Research has shown that scratching a semiconductor with a dielectric layer with a needle can create a charge.
Russian scientists are also conducting such research. They experimented with using silicon semiconductors and indium phosphide to generate current. However, they faced problems with measurements due to the influence of laser illumination, but specialists have already learned how to overcome them, according to RIA Novosti.
Hybrid devices combining a photovoltaic cell and a triboelectric generator may be effective in electricity production. However, new research is needed to determine the durability and efficiency of such devices.
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