Wind and solar power generated from your clothes Wednesday, 28 September 2016

American researchers have developed a fabric capable of harvesting energy both from the wind or sun.

The team from the Georgia Tech School of Materials Science and Engineering used a commercial textile machine to weave together solar cells constructed from lightweight polymer fibers with fiber-based triboelectric nanogenerators.

Triboelectric nanogenerators use a combination of the triboelectric effect and electrostatic induction to generate small amount of electrical power from mechanical motion such as rotation, sliding or vibration.

Professor Zhong Lin Wang said combining two types of electricity generation into one textile paves the way for developing garments that could provide their own source of energy to power devices such as smartphones or global positioning systems.

“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,” Wang said

In one of their experiments, Wang’s team used a fabric about the size of a sheet of A4 paper, attached to a rod like a small colorful flag, and held it out the window of a car. They were able to generate significant power from a moving car on a cloudy day. The researchers also measured the output by a 4 x 5 cm piece, which charged up a 2 mF commercial capacitor to 2 V in one minute under sunlight and movement.

“That indicates it has a decent capability of working even in a harsh environment,” he said.

While early tests indicate the fabric can withstand repeated and rigorous use, researches will be looking into its long-term durability. Next steps also include further optimizing the fabric for industrial uses, including developing proper encapsulation to protect the electrical components from rain and moisture.

Wang envisions that the new fabric, which is 320 micrometers thick, woven together with strands of wool, could be integrated into tents, curtains or wearable garments.

Researchers around the world are working on conductive fabrics and wearable electronics.

[Photo: Georgia Institute of Technology]

Energy will be a major topic of discussion at the Australian Engineering Conference 2016 in Brisbane on November 23-25.