Researchers at Georgia Tech have created the first piezoelectric nanogenerator, a small device that transforms mechanical energy to electrical, which can power a small LCD screen. The generator designed by Zhong Lin Wang, director of the Center for Nanostructure Characterization and his team from GT, made the generator by growing a new type of nanowire that has a conical shape, which were then cut from their substrate and then immersed in an alcohol solution. The solution containing the nanowire is then poured onto a metal electrode and a thin polymer film to which the process is repeated until it becomes a kind of composite that is flexible. When the bendable composite is flexed it produces up to 3 volts and can power small electronic devices. Zhong Wang sees this technology coming into fruition very soon saying, “From when we got started in 2005 until today, we have dramatically improved the output of our nanogenerators. We are within the range of what's needed. If we can drive these small components, I believe we will be able to power small systems in the near future. In the next five years, I hope to see this move into application." These new generators could conceivably be implanted either in human blood or tissue to power your electronics such as an mp3 player or smartphone. Is it coming closer to say goodbye to conventional batteries? If Zhong Wang is right then we should see a definitive change in the way we power things coming in the next few years.
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