In an article published this week in APL Materials, by AIP Publishing, Luan and his collaborators tested a molecular energy harvesting device that captures the energy from the natural motion of particles in a liquid. Their work revealed molecular motion can be used to generate a stable electric present.
Creating the Device
To produce the device, the researchers immersed nanoarrays of piezoelectric product in liquid, enabling the motion of the liquid to move the hairs like seaweed waving in the ocean, other than in this case the motion is on the invisible, molecular scale, and the hairs are made of zinc oxide. The zinc oxide product was chosen for its piezoelectric homes, which means that when it waves, flexes, or deforms under movement, it produces electric potential.
Electricity-generating system of the molecular thermal motion harvester (MTMH). Credit: Yucheng Luan and Wei Li
” As a well-studied piezoelectric product, zinc oxide can be quickly manufactured into different nanostructures, including nanowhiskers,” Luan said. “A nanowhisker is a organized and neat structure of numerous nanowires, comparable to the bristles on a tooth brush.”
Advantages and applications
Their energy harvesters might be utilized to power nanotechnologies like implantable medical gadgets, or they could be scaled to full-size generators and kilowatt-scale energy production. One essential style function of the gadget is that it does not depend on any external forces, which increases its possible as a game-changing clean energy source.
” Molecular thermal movement harvester devices do not require any external stimulation, which is a big advantage compared with other energy harvesters,” Luan said. “At present, electrical energy is generally acquired by external energy, such as wind energy, hydroelectric energy, solar energy, and others. This work opens the possibility of generating electrical energy through the molecular thermal motion of liquids, from the internal energy of the physical system that is basically various from common mechanical motion.”
Looking Ahead
The researchers are already working on the next phase of their style to improve the energy density of the device by testing various liquids, high-performing piezoelectric products, and brand-new gadget architectures and by increasing the size of the device.
” We think this unique sort of system will end up being an indispensable method for human beings to acquire electrical energy in the future.”
Referral: “Molecular thermal movement harvester for electricity conversion” by Yucheng Luan, Fengwei Huo, Mengshi Lu, Wei Li and Tonghao Wu, 17 October 2023, APL Materials.DOI: 10.1063/ 5.0169055.
Harnessing the molecular movement of liquids, a group of researchers has actually developed a device that produces a constant electrical existing. This innovation might power nanotechnologies and provide a new measurement in clean energy, independent of external forces.
When creating electrical energy from the motion of particles, there is power in numbers.
Wave energy technology is a tested source of power generation, however there is power intrinsic in every particle of liquid in the world, even when the liquid is at rest. At the molecular scale, atoms and ions are always moving. It could be a huge source of energy if this nanoscale motion can be gathered.
” There are vast amounts of air and liquid on the earth, and their successful harvesting might produce a massive quantity of energy for society,” author Yucheng Luan said.
Wave energy innovation is a proven source of power generation, however there is power inherent in every molecule of liquid on earth, even when the liquid is at rest.” Molecular thermal movement harvester devices do not require any external stimulation, which is a huge advantage compared with other energy harvesters,” Luan said. “At present, electrical energy is generally acquired by external energy, such as wind energy, hydroelectric energy, solar energy, and others. This work opens up the possibility of creating electrical energy through the molecular thermal motion of liquids, from the internal energy of the physical system that is basically various from ordinary mechanical movement.”