Capturing wasted electricity with triboelectric generators

phys.org...

Since their first publication on the research, Wang and his research team have increased the power output density of their triboelectric generator by a factor of 100,000 – reporting that a square meter of single-layer material can now produce as much as 300 watts. They have found that the volume power density reaches more than 400 kilowatts per cubic meter at an efficiency of more than 50 percent. The researchers have expanded the range of energy-gathering techniques from "power shirts" containing pockets of the generating material to shoe inserts, whistles, foot pedals, floor mats, backpacks and floats bobbing on ocean waves.

Fairly dramatic increase in power output.

Wang and his team accidentally discovered the power generating potential of the triboelectric effect while working on piezoelectric generators, which use a different technology. The output from one piezoelectric device was much larger than expected, and the cause of the higher output was traced to incorrect assembly that allowed two polymer surfaces to rub together. Six months of development led to the first journal paper on the triboelectric generator in 2012.

One more step to capturing wasted energy which I personally feel could dramatically decrease our dependence on current ways of producing electricity.

727Sky
that a square meter of single-layer material can now produce as much as 300 watts.

300 watts from one square meter??
I note that the article was careful to AVOID mentioning what bizarro special case unusual situation that may arise in.

Certainly wont happen in any of the examples they did list:

727Sky
The researchers have expanded the range of energy-gathering techniques from "power shirts" containing pockets of the generating material to shoe inserts, whistles, foot pedals, floor mats, backpacks and floats bobbing on ocean waves.

Given that energy cannot be made nor destroyed, but only converted from one form to another, the 300 watts they supposedly extract in the form of electricity would *still have to be there* in that one square meter of material if they did not extract it. Perhaps in the form of heat or motion.

Certainly, clothing is not a 300 watts per square meter device.
Neither is a floor mat.

---
Edit - they speak of 50 percent efficiency.
So for the claim to be true, they've found something (obviously not clothing) that normally contains 600 watts per square meter.
(Or they're just lying)

Read about this while ago how some young dude figured out how to capture waister energy near phone lines, dun remember rest of it tho, will check if can find tht dude.

Interesting, tribocharging, the human body's been doing it since, forever. ( static) hopefully, on this larger scale, something can become of it. Someone/thing, needs to save us from our dependence on foreign oil.

alfa1

727Sky
that a square meter of single-layer material can now produce as much as 300 watts.

300 watts from one square meter??
I note that the article was careful to AVOID mentioning what bizarro special case unusual situation that may arise in.

Certainly wont happen in any of the examples they did list:

727Sky
The researchers have expanded the range of energy-gathering techniques from "power shirts" containing pockets of the generating material to shoe inserts, whistles, foot pedals, floor mats, backpacks and floats bobbing on ocean waves.

Given that energy cannot be made nor destroyed, but only converted from one form to another, the 300 watts they supposedly extract in the form of electricity would *still have to be there* in that one square meter of material if they did not extract it. Perhaps in the form of heat or motion.

Certainly, clothing is not a 300 watts per square meter device.
Neither is a floor mat.

---
Edit - they speak of 50 percent efficiency.
So for the claim to be true, they've found something (obviously not clothing) that normally contains 600 watts per square meter.
(Or they're just lying)

edit on 11-12-2013 by alfa1 because: (no reason given)

I agree. The efficiency that is claimed floored me... Phys.org usually does not publish B.S. claims IMO and is one of the better science sights for pier reviewed papers .. Like everything we will have to wait and see what develops if anything.

It's not just efficiency, the energy's not there to capture in one sq meter of ocean wave or clothing motion. I'd be hard put to think of a reasonable example that could net you 600W of mechanical energy in that area, unless maybe you put it over an engine crankshaft.

This could have some interesting applications. Could you imagine that if this were incorporated into the siding of a house? The movement caused by the wind could generate electricity for the house. The outside of the siding could move slightly creating the gap. The surface tension of the siding creates this electricity, I think this has possibility since the polymers are considered inexpensive. This would not work well in high humidity though, it would work well around many northern states and Canada though.

Combining this technology with solar and also the technology that makes energy from the difference of heat to cold coupled to a small wind turbine can supply a house with all the electricity it needs. This technology can also be incorporated into panels in cars, they would need to be designed to make the best use of it also. There are multiple energy sources that combined can supply our needs.