Fabrics could end up powering your devices with clean energy
Our portable devices could end up being powered by our own clothes, but ones made out of a very special kind of fabric.
Scientists from Georgia Institute of Technology successfully developed a new kind of material, one that can harvest kinetic and solar energy. The fabric is woven with special strands of material and it could be used to make clothing that can power portable devices such as smartphones putting an end to our charging nightmares.
“This hybrid power textile presents a novel solution to charging devices in the field from something as simple as the wind blowing on a sunny day,” said Zhong Lin Wang, a Regents professor in the Georgia Tech School of Materials Science and Engineering.
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To make the fabric, the team used solar cells constructed from lightweight polymer fibres which were woven together with fiber-based triboelectric nanogenerators which use a combination of the triboelectric effect and electrostatic induction to generate a small amount of electrical power from mechanical motion such as rotation, sliding or vibration.
Scientists believe that the fabric could be used in different everyday objects like tents, curtains, backpacks and even curtains.
“The fabric is highly flexible, breathable, lightweight and adaptable to a range of uses,” Wang said.
While early tests indicate the fabric can withstand repeated and rigorous use, researchers will be looking into its long-term durability. Next steps also include further optimising the fabric for industrial uses, including developing proper encapsulation to protect the electrical components from rain and moisture.
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