In a crucial step towards the development of self-powering portable
electronics,researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne have for the
first time characterised the ability of piezoelectric thin films to turn
mechanical pressure into electricity.
The pioneering result is published in the 21 June Issue of the leading
materials
science journal, Advanced Functional Materials.
Lead co-author Dr Madhu Bhaskaran said the research combined the
potential of
piezoelectrics - materials capable of converting pressure into electrical
energy - and the cornerstone of microchip manufacturing, thin film
technology."The power of piezoelectrics could be integrated into running
shoes to charge mobile phones, enable laptops to be powered through
typing or even used to convertblood pressure into a power source for
pacemakers - essentially creating aneverlasting battery," she said.
"The concept of energy harvesting using piezoelectric nanomaterials has
been demonstrated but the realisation of these structures can be complex
and they are poorly suited to mass fabrication.
"Our study focused on thin film coatings because we believe they hold the
onlypractical possibility of integrating piezoelectrics into existing electronic
technology." The Australian Research Council-funded study assessed the
energy generation capabilities of piezoelectric thin films at the nanoscale,
for the first time precisely measuring the level of electrical voltage and
current - and therefore, power - that could be generated.Dr Bhaskaran
co-authored the study with Dr Sharath Sriram, within RMIT's
MicroplatformsResearch Group, led by Professor Arnan Mitchell.
The pair collaborated with Australian National University's Dr Simon Ruffell
on the research. "With the drive for alternative energy solutions, we
need to find more efficient ways to power microchips, which are the
building blocks of everyday technology like the smarter phone or faster
computer," Dr Bhaskaran said. "The next key challenge will be amplifying
the electrical energy generated by the piezoelectric materials to enable them
to be integrated into low-cost,compact structures."
