Researchers invent self-charging, ultra-thin device that generates electricity from air moisture
Imagine being able to use commonplace objects like sea salt and a piece of cloth to capture moisture in the air around you in order to generate electricity, or even power commonplace gadgets with a non-toxic battery that is as thin as paper. A new moisture-driven electricity generation (MEG) device has been created by a team of researchers from the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It is made of a thin fabric layer that is about 0.3 millimeters (mm) thick, sea salt, carbon ink, and a unique water-absorbing gel. The foundation of MEG technology is the capacity of various materials to produce electricity through their interaction with atmospheric moisture. Due to the potential for a wide range of practical applications, such as self-powered gadgets like wearable electronics like health monitors, electronic skin sensors, and information storage devices, this field has been attracting increasing interest. Two major issues with existing M...