Aug 15, 2023
Hand-held tube containing aluminum foil balls produces enough electricity to power LED array when shaken
Posted by Saúl Morales Rodriguéz in categories: biotech/medical, materials
A team of mechanical engineers from Chung-Ang University, Massachusetts General Hospital, LS Materials and Yonsei University has found that a hand-held cylinder containing crumpled aluminum foil balls is capable of producing enough electricity when shaken to light a small LED grid. In their paper published in the journal Advanced Science, the group describes other materials used in the cylinder and possible uses for such a device.
Prior research has shown that a wide variety of materials can be used to generate static electricity, and that some constructions can capture that electricity. Researchers have suggested such devices could be useful as the power needs of personal electronics decrease. In this new effort, the researchers have looked to aluminum foil as a material for generating static electricity and capturing it to power an external device.