Swiss researchers succeed in developing A Nanogenerator Which enables Walk on wooden floors to generate energy, According to the publication in the magazine “Thing”. To achieve this, the wood used in the nanogenerator had to be upgraded with a combination of coating Silicon and nanocrystals Embedded, as a result of a device of sufficient efficiency To operate LED bulbs and small electronics.

Created a working nanogenerator team Two pieces of wood with electrodes are added to each piece That is, when stepping in, they join and separate in such a way as to create a phenomenon “Tribo Electric Effect”, Will get the result Contact with other materials.

However, building a nano generator out of wood is a problem. “Wood is basically a tribro neutral,” the lead author explained, Guido Pansarasa, Wood Materials Science Chair of Group Leader. That is to say There is no tendency to generate electricity efficientlyThe expert said.

This limits the ability of the material to generate electricity, ”hence the challenge of making wood Can attract and lose electronsPansarasa added.

Wood efficiency

To enhance the tribo electric properties of wood, scientists have wrapped it with a wood Polydimethylosiloxane (PDMS), A silicon that gains electrons in contact, while they work with other wood Cultured nanocrystals.

These nanocrystals are formed A hybrid network of metal ions and organic moleculesThe tendency to lose electrons is high.

They also tried Different types of wood To determine whether certain species or wood can influence its triboe electrical properties by acting as the best scarfold for cutting direction.

The researchers found that a tribo electric nanogenerator had been built Radially cut story wood, It’s one of the best. Together, the treatments increased the performance of the nanogenerator 80 times more electricity than natural wood. In addition, the power output of the device was stable at a constant power of 1,500 cycles.

The researchers found a model of a wooden floor with a surface area slightly smaller than a piece of paper. Household LED lamps and small electronic devices can generate enough power to run Like calculators. With prototype A bulb was successfully lit. When an old man walks through it, Converts footprints into electricity.

“Our goal was to demonstrate the feasibility of modifying wood using procedures It is relatively eco-friendly To make it tribo electric, ”Pansarasa explained. “Fir is cheap and always available. In addition, it has favorable mechanical properties. The method of operation is very simple and can be measured commercially. This is a matter of engineering, ”he added.

Ideal for smart buildings

The newly developed nanogenerator also preserves the wood-making characteristics Useful for interior design, As well as its mechanical strength and its warm colors. Researchers say these features could help promote the use of wood nanogenerators as green energy sources in smart buildings.

They also say that wood can help mitigate climate change by isolating CO2 from the environment throughout the life of the material.

The next step for Pansarasa and his team is to further optimize the nanogenerator with more eco-friendly and easy-to-apply chemical coatings that improve pan production.

“Although we initially focused on basic research, over time, the research we do will lead to real-world applications,” says Pansarasa. The ultimate goal is to understand the potential of wood beyond what is already known and to enable wood with new properties for future sustainable smart buildings.