Researchers at Binghamton University in New York have developed a new technology that allows collecting moisture from the air and converting it into electricity. According to Interesting Engineering, an article about the invention was published on the university’s official website.
Scientists have created a paper-based portable device capable of generating a stable amount of electricity by capturing moisture. According to Professor Seokhyun ‘Sean’ Choi, the collected moisture in the air is an affordable source of energy that is easy to use because moisture is everywhere.
The device uses biobatteries using bacterial spores to split water molecules into positive and negative ions, according to Choi’s Bioelectronics and Microsystems Laboratory, which has more than 15 years of experience with biobatteries. The paper capillaries absorb bacterial spores, generating an electric charge due to the difference in ions. The use of Janus paper, with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic sides, enhances moisture absorption by keeping water molecules inside the device until they are processed.
This research opens up the prospect of creating eco-friendly, disposable paper devices that are comfortable to wear, scalable and environmentally friendly. Choi emphasises that this development will be revolutionary for applications in low-power sensors, drug delivery or electrical stimulation.
The professor also plans to improve the device by reducing it to the size of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). He believes that the compactness and increased power will provide the device with new capabilities, and the use of origami techniques will allow for different configurations.
Unlike other scientists developing long-term wearable devices, Choi aims to create disposable gadgets that will not become electronic waste after use.
‘I don’t want to wear something all day for four months. I want to use it for a short time and then throw it away-so in that sense, paper is the best,’ Choi says.
