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Science, 6, April, 2007 Direct-Current Nanogenerator Driven by Ultrasonic Waves

Submitted by JDI on

What can we do in this discovery and creation?

By Xudong Wang, Jinhui Song, Jin Liu, Zhong Lin Wang*

Abstract: We have developed a nanowire nanogenerator that is driven by an ultrasonic wave to produce continuous direct-current output. The nanogenerator was fabricated with vertically aligned zinc oxide nanowire arrays that were placed beneath a zigzag metal electrode with a small gap. The wave drives the electrode up and down to bend and/or vibrate the nanowires. A piezoelectric-semiconducting coupling process converts mechanical energy into electricity. The zigzag electrode acts as an array of parallel integrated metal tips that simultaneously and continuously create, collect, and output electricity from all of the nanowires. The approach presents an adaptable, mobile, and cost-effective technology for harvesting energy from the environment, and it offers a potential solution for powering nanodevices and nanosystems.

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Directcurrentgenerator.pdf 479.28 KB

This is a paper of great interest to our nanomechanics community. Prof. Wang's group, for the first time to my knowledge, realized such a novel device. This has overcome the barriers on the road to the commercialization of nanotechnology. The key is that this paper reports the physics governing this new finding. I think that the nanomechanics community may follow up to see what we can do.

Sat, 04/21/2007 - 15:53 Permalink