Novel device creates electricity from snowfall, Research
By: Team Ifairer | Posted: 16-04-2019
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"While snow likes to give up electrons, the performance of the device depends on the efficiency of the other material at extracting these electrons," he added. After testing a large number of materials including aluminum foils and Teflon, the researchers found that silicone produces more charge than any other material.
About 30 per cent of the Earth's surface is covered by snow each winter, during which time solar panels often fail to operate, El-Kady noted. The accumulation of snow reduces the amount of sunlight that reaches the solar array, limiting the panels' power output and rendering them less effective.
The new device could be integrated into solar panels to provide a continuous power supply when it snows, he said. The device can be used for monitoring winter sports, such as skiing, to more precisely assess and improve an athlete's performance when running, walking or jumping, Kaner said.
It could usher in a new generation of self-powered wearable devices for tracking athletes and their performances, researchers said. The device can also send signals, indicating whether a person is moving. It can tell when a person is walking, running, jumping or marching, they said.
The team used 3D printing to design the device, which has a layer of silicone and an electrode to capture the charge. The researchers believe the device could be produced at low cost given "the ease of fabrication and the availability of silicone," Kaner said.
Source: dailypioneer.com