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Energy generating clothing in time for wearables revolution

A potential limitation for wearable technology is the short battery life and the problems of powering the devices for suitably long periods of time. It is for these reasons that scientists have been examining whether it is possible for clothing to power the devices.

In a breakthrough with this concept, researchers have created a durable and flexible cloth. The cloth, which could be used for a wide range of clothing, is able to capture human motion to generate energy. Sufficient power can be generated to the level that the clothing can also self-charge batteries or supercapacitors without an external power source.

The cloth is the brainchild of scientist Sang-Woo Kim. According to Lab Manager magazine, Kim has stated that the potential of wearable electronics extends beyond the flashy and convenient. Small, lightweight devices could provide life-changing enhancements for people. This includes such ideas as robotic skin or in other biomedical applications. However, in order to maximize the utility, electronics need an ultra-flexible, long-lasting energy source. With his new solution, Kim has been studying emerging technology of “triboelectric nanogenerators,” or TNGs, which harvest energy from everyday motion.

Kim has created a novel fabric from a silvery textile that is coated with specially layered nanorods together with silicon-based organic material. Kim found that when he stacked four pieces of the cloth together and applied pressure to the material, this captured the energy generated from the application of the pressure. The material quickly produced the energy outwards. This was used to power light-emitting diodes, a liquid crystal display and a vehicle’s keyless entry remote. The cloth worked for more than 12,000 cycles.

The research has been reported to the journal ACS Nano. The research paper is headed “Nanopatterned Textile-Based Wearable Triboelectric Nanogenerator.”

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Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

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