The zebra’s unique appearance has been the source of many scientific debates, from its role in confusing predators to how it can deter a horsefly bite. It turns out that the black fur can be lifted to draw heat away from the skin.
Now scientists are taking the zebra debate in a completely different direction. I use the zebra as my inspiration in creating a device that uses contrasting shades as heat conductors to generate electricity.
Researchers at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) in South Korea have developed a flexible and biodegradable fiber-based thermoelectric generator (TEG). This thermoelectric generator (TEG) uses black and white sections to create a temperature gradient below the surface that can generate electricity. electricity.
“Conventional TEG designs are large and bulky because they rely on natural convection leading to out-of-plane temperature gradients,” explains GIST professor and study author Young Min Song. “This requires a rigid insulator, which limits the application of TEGs to flexible and wearable devices. We have transcended this paradigm in our design by creating flexible and biodegradable in-plane devices This enables scalability, integration, and sustainability to improve applicability while reducing environmental impact.”
The biodegradable PLCL material, which reflects sunlight and emits infrared radiation to keep the area below cool, forms white stripes that appear black to the eye, and PEDOT:PSS absorbs the heat necessary to create a thermal gradient below. provided. Utilizing a silicon nanomembrane in the design, the new TEG design was able to generate a temperature difference of 22 °C (49.6 °F) over the gradient.
gist
Although the lab model was a small prototype, researchers say the model was able to generate electricity continuously 24 hours a day, and the material completely biodegraded in saline within 35 days.
“The pandemic has triggered widespread use of disposable masks and protective equipment that has had a major impact on the environment, highlighting the need for sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions like TEG. [be] It is embedded in such wearable devices to perform specialized functions such as self-powering and sensing. “
The study was published in a journal scientific progress.
Source: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology
