Recent results from Georgia Tech have shown that strands of Kevlar enhanced with radially grown ZnO nanowires create small amounts of piezoelectric power from mechanical motion. This research can lead to smaller, on-board, energy sources, which could be used for various applications. For example, having a small nanogenerator incorporated into exercise clothing or equipment to power an iPod during a workout. Possible applications could be different types of small sensors, which could have increased mobility because their power source moves with them.
Despite the great promise of this work, there is controversy as to whether the acquired results are repeatable; this multi-disciplinary project will look at the chemical, mechanical and electrical engineering aspects. We propose an experimental setup similar to Georgia Tech’s in order to determine the viability of this novel application of nanotechnology. Depending on the measured electrical output, we shall also suggest a production method to maximize energy density per unit area.
This work will performed by a core team of three undergraduate students working on their Senior Design Project as well as many graduate students and professors as mentors.
The project would necessitate: