Scientists accidentally found a way to turn humid air into electricity
Engineers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have made a revolutionary step in the field of electricity generation by developing the "total air-gen effect" technology, which allows collecting electricity from air humidity.
This discovery could revolutionize the way we think about energy production and bring significant changes in the renewable energy sector, ScitechDaily writes.
According to research published in the journal Advanced Materials, the "total air-gen effect" technique allows for continuous and scalable electricity generation using any material with nanopores less than 100 nanometers in diameter.
This means that this technology can be used to create cost-effective electricity generators that are independent of environmental conditions, which is a key advantage compared to other renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power plants.
A team of engineers from the University of Massachusetts demonstrates that any material can be transformed into a device that harvests electricity from air humidity. The secret of success lies in the ability to fill the material with nanopores with a diameter of less than 100 nanometers. The materials filled with such nanopores are able to collect electricity from the air, which contains a large number of electrically charged water molecules.
According to the researchers, the material creates a kind of "battery" where charges are caused by an imbalance of charge between the upper and lower parts of the material. When water molecules pass through a thin layer of the material, they collide with the edge of the nanopores, causing a change in their charge. This allows you to collect electricity continuously as long as there is humidity in the air.
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The main advantage of the "total air-gen effect" technique is its versatility and scalability. The engineers emphasize that they can create combines for collecting electricity from air humidity from different materials, which allows the technology to be used in different environments, including tropical forests and drier regions.
By continuously harvesting electricity from air humidity, harvesters can operate around the clock, regardless of weather conditions, making them more efficient than other renewable energy technologies. This shift in electricity production could help further develop green technologies and create more stable and resilient electricity supply systems.
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