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Electric generator runs on friction

25.07.2012

In a study funded by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy and the US Air Force, scientists have managed to develop an original triboelectric generator that produces electricity from the friction of two surfaces.

Researchers have discovered another way to collect small amounts of electricity by capturing the electrical charge produced by rubbing two different types of plastic. A new type of generator can generate energy through habitual activities such as walking. It can also be used in various nanodevices and self-contained pressure sensors with low power consumption.

The triboelectric generator consists of sheets of polyester and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). When the two sheets are rubbed, the polyester donates electrons and the PDMS accepts them. This creates an air gap that isolates the charge on the surface of the PDMS and generates a dipole moment. As a result, when an electrical load is connected, a small current is generated between the two surfaces. If you constantly rub the plates of materials against each other, the generator will continuously generate electricity. The scope of the new device is expanded by the fact that polyester and polydimethylsiloxane have a transparency of 75%. This allows the new generator to be embedded in the surface of the touch screen, which can thus generate energy from the touch of the user's fingers.

The scientists studied various microtextures on the surface of the new generator and found that the tiny pyramids produced the largest current of about 0,13 μA per square centimeter at a rather high voltage of 18 V.
The developers note that the manufacturing technology of the triboelectric generator is simple and low cost, which allows it to be scaled up to large-scale production and practical application. At the same time, the reliability of the device is very high - it continues to generate energy after more than 100 thousand cycles.

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