Flexible Nanogenerators

• US 20090066195A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Wang, Xudong, Qin, Yong, Wang, Zhong L., Yang, Rusen
• Granted Patent: US 7,982,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/367
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/07 Forming of piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts or bodies on an electrical element or another base
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/077 by liquid phase deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/30 with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making

Abstract

A small scale electrical generator includes an elongated substrate and a first piezoelectric fine wire. The first piezoelectric fine wire is disposed along a surface of the substrate. The first piezoelectric fine wire has a first end and a spaced-apart second end. A first conductive contact secures the first end of the fine wire to a first portion of the substrate and a second conductive contact secures the second end of the fine wire to a second portion of the substrate. A fabric made of interwoven strands that includes fibers from which piezoelectric nanowires extend radially therefrom and conductive nanostructures extend therefrom is configured to generate electricity.

Claims

1. A small scale electrical generator, comprising:

a. an elongated substrate;

b. a first piezoelectric fine wire disposed along a surface of the substrate, the first piezoelectric fine wire having a first end and a spaced-apart second end; and

c. a first conductive contact securing the first end of the fine wire to a first portion of the substrate and a second conductive contact securing the second end of the fine wire to a second portion of the substrate.

2. The small scale electrical generator of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a polyimide film.

3. The small scale electrical generator of claim 1, wherein the first piezoelectric fine wire comprises a fine wire selected from a group consisting of a nanowire and a microwire.

4. The small scale electrical generator of claim 1, wherein the first piezoelectric fine wire comprises zinc oxide.

5. The small scale electrical generator of claim 1, wherein the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact each comprise a metal.

6. The small scale electrical generator of claim 5, wherein the metal comprises silver.

7. The small scale electrical generator of claim 1, further comprising:

a. a second piezoelectric fine wire, having a first end and a spaced-apart second end, disposed along the surface of the substrate and extending from the second conductive contact; and

a third conductive contact securing the second end of the second piezoelectric fine wire to the substrate.

8. The small scale electrical generator of claim 7, wherein the second piezoelectric fine wire comprises a fine wire selected from a group consisting of a nanowire and a microwire.

9. The small scale electrical generator of claim 7, wherein the second piezoelectric fine wire comprises zinc oxide.

10. A fibrous electrical generator, comprising:

a. a first elongated strand from which a plurality of piezoelectric nanowires extend radially outwardly therefrom, each piezoelectric nanowire including a proximal end secured to the first elongated strand and an opposite distal end, a first conductive contact in electrical communication with the first elongated strand;

b. a second elongated strand, intertwined with the first elongated strand, each second elongated strand including a plurality of elongated conductive nanostructures extending radially outwardly therefrom, each of the plurality of conductive nanostructures having a first end secured to the second elongated strand and a opposite second end, a second conductive contact in electrical communication with the second elongated strand,

the second elongated strand disposed relative to the first elongated strand so that relative motion between the first elongated strand and the second elongated strand causes a set of the piezoelectric nanowires extending from the first elongated strand to bend, thereby creating a voltage potential differential across each of the set of piezoelectric nanowires, and so that a Schottky barrier is formed between at least one of the set of piezoelectric nanowires and at least one of the elongated conductive nanostructures, thereby causing a charge transfer from the at least one of the set of piezoelectric nanowires to the at least one of the elongated conductive nanostructures, thereby creating a voltage potential between the first conductive contact and the second conductive contact.

11. The fibrous electrical generator of claim 10, wherein the first elongated strand comprises:

a. a para-aramid synthetic fiber;

b. a first tetraethoxysilane sheath disposed about the para-aramid synthetic fiber;

c. a zinc oxide seed layer disposed about the tetraethoxysilane sheath, a plurality of elongated zinc oxide nanowires extending radially outwardly therefrom; and

d. a second tetraethoxysilane sheath disposed about the zinc oxide seed layer and configured to support a base portion of the elongated zinc oxide nanowires.

12. The fibrous electrical generator of claim 10, wherein the second elongated strand comprises:

a. a para-aramid synthetic fiber;

b. a first tetraethoxysilane sheath disposed about the para-aramid synthetic fiber;

c. a zinc oxide seed layer disposed about the tetraethoxysilane sheath, a plurality of elongated zinc oxide nanowires extending radially outwardly therefrom;

d. a second tetraethoxysilane sheath disposed about the zinc oxide seed layer and configured to support a base portion of the elongated zinc oxide nanowires; and

e. a metallic layer coating the elongated zinc oxide nanowires.

13. The fibrous electrical generator of claim 10, wherein a plurality of interwoven first elongated strands and second elongated strands are interwoven to form a fabric.

14. A method of making a small scale electrical generator, comprising the actions of:

a. placing a first piezoelectric fine wire on a substrate;

b. securing a first end of the fine wire to the substrate with a first conductive contact; and

c. securing a second end, spaced apart from the first end, of the first piezoelectric fine wire to substrate with a second conductive contact.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the substrate comprises a polyimide film.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first piezoelectric fine wire comprises a fine wire selected from a group consisting of a nanowire and a microwire.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the first piezoelectric fine wire comprises zinc oxide.

18. A method of making an electrical generating fabric, comprising the actions of:

a. intertwining a plurality of first elongated strands with a corresponding plurality of second elongated strands to form a plurality of electrical generating yarns, wherein each of the first plurality of elongated strands includes a plurality of piezoelectric nanowires extending radially outwardly therefrom and wherein each of the second plurality of elongated strands includes a plurality conductive nanostructures extending radially outwardly therefrom; and

b. weaving the plurality of electrical generating yarns together to form an electrical generating fabric.