Piezoelectric Textile which Produce Electricity From Wearer’s Motion

Schematic illustration of the arrangement of nanowires around textile fiber. (Credit: Image courtesy of Z. L. Wang and X. D. Wang, Georgia Institute of Technology)

Scientists are on the verge of a breakthrough that would result in energy harvesting piezoelectric textile material that could use the kinetic energy from the wearer’s movements to produce electricity for powering electronics.

What is this technology?

It is in-built nanotechnology that makes all this possible. With this technology it becomes possible to harvest any kind of motion or vibration produced by the wearer of the dress and convert it into electricity.

Here’s how it’s done…

This textile material has been made of fibers coated with zinc oxide nanowires that can convert mechanical energy into electricity. These gold-plated zinc oxide nanowires, each about 3.5 micrometers in length, are grown on a flexible polymer fiber and when these nanowires brush against untreated nanowires, a current is generated. Clothes spun from these fibers would then be able to convert body movements into electric current.

A scanning electron microscopy image shows the piezoelectric zinc oxide nanowires. (Credit: Image courtesy of Z.L. Wang and X.D. Wang, Georgia Institute of Technology)

These piezoelectric textile materials..

Would benefit hikers, soldiers, and could power mobile phones, MP3 players, night lights and more. It could also lead to shirts and shoes that power iPods and medical implants, curtains that generate power when they flap in the wind, and tents that power portable electronics devices!

Who is responsible for this development?

Georgia Tech researchers led by materials-science professor Zhong Lin Wang, who claim that the textile material is cheap to produce and is very efficient as well…

via: NSF