RSS Feeds

Earth Science

Space Science

Life Science

Fields of Scientific Study

Nanotechnology

Cancer

Definitions of The Fields of Scientific Study

Nanowire generates power by harvesting energy from the environment

September 28, 2007

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - As the sizes of sensor networks and mobile devices shrink toward the microscale, and even nanoscale, there is a growing need for suitable power sources. Because even the tiniest battery is too big to be used in nanoscale devices, scientists are exploring nanosize systems that can salvage energy from the environment.

Now, researchers at the University of Illinois have shown that a single nanowire can produce power by harvesting mechanical energy. Made of piezoelectric material, the nanowire generates a voltage when mechanically deformed. To measure the voltage produced by such a tiny wire, however, the researchers first had to build an extremely sensitive and precise mechanical testing stage.

"With the development of this precision testing apparatus, we successfully demonstrated the first controlled measurement of voltage generation from an individual nanowire," said Min-Feng Yu, a professor of mechanical science and engineering, and a researcher at the university's Beckman Institute. "The new testing apparatus makes possible other difficult, but important, measurements, as well."

Yu and graduate students Zhaoyu Wang, Jie Hu, Abhijit Suryavanshi and Kyungsuk Yum describe the measurement, and the measurement device, in a paper accepted for publication in the journal Nano Letters, and posted on the journal's Web site.

The nanowire was synthesized in the form of a single crystal of barium titanate, an oxide of barium and titanium used as a piezoelectric material in microphones and transducers, and was approximately 280 nanometers in diameter and 15 microns long.

The precision tensile mechanical testing stage is a finger-size device consisting of two coplanar platforms - one movable and one stationary - separated by a 3-micron gap. The movable platform is driven by a single-axis piezoelectric flexure stage with a displacement resolution better than 1 nanometer.

When the researchers' piezoelectric nanowire was placed across the gap and fastened to the two platforms, the movable platform induced mechanical vibrations in the nanowire. The voltage generated by the nanowire was recorded by high-sensitivity, charge-sensing electronics.

"The electrical energy produced by the nanowire for each vibrational cycle was 0.3 attojoules (less than one quintillionth of a joule)," Yu said. "Accurate measurements this small could not be made on nanowires before."

While the researchers created mechanical deformations in the nanowire through vibrations caused by external motion, other vibrations in the environment, such as sound waves, should also induce deformations. The researchers' next step is to accurately measure the piezoelectric nanowire's response to those acoustic vibrations.

"In addition, because of the fine precision offered by the mechanical testing stage, it should also be possible to quantitatively compare the intrinsic properties of the nanowire to those of the bulk material," Yu said. "This will allow us to study the scale effect related to electromechanical coupling in nanoscale systems."

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Related Nanowire Current Events and Nanowire News Articles

Nanowire Current Events and Nanowire News RSS

Understanding mechanical properties of silicon nanowires paves way for nanodevices
Silicon nanowires are attracting significant attention from the electronics industry due to the drive for ever-smaller electronic devices, from cell phones to computers.

LANL Roadrunner simulates nanoscale material failure
Very tiny wires, called nanowires, made from such metals as silver and gold, may play a crucial role as electrical or mechanical switches in the development of future-generation ultrasmall nanodevices.

Transforming Nanowires Into Nano-Tools Using Cation Exchange Reactions
A team of engineers from the University of Pennsylvania has transformed simple nanowires into reconfigurable materials and circuits, demonstrating a novel, self-assembling method for chemically creating nanoscale structures that are not possible to grow or obtain otherwise.

Nanowire biocompatibility in the brain: So far so good
The biological safety of nanotechnology, in other words, how the body reacts to nanoparticles, is a hot topic. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have managed for the first time to carry out successful experiments involving the injection of so-called 'nanowires.'

Harvard scientists bend nanowires into 2-D and 3-D structures
Taking nanomaterials to a new level of structural complexity, scientists have determined how to introduce kinks into arrow-straight nanowires, transforming them into zigzagging two- and three-dimensional structures with correspondingly advanced functions.

Nanoelectronic transistor combined with biological machine could lead to better electronics
If manmade devices could be combined with biological machines, laptops and other electronic devices could get a boost in operating efficiency.

Caltech physicists create first nanoscale mass spectrometer
Using devices millionths of a meter in size, physicists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have developed a technique to determine the mass of a single molecule, in real time.

A quicker, cheaper SARS virus detector -- one easily customizable for other targets
Members of a USC-led research team say they've made a big improvement in a new breed of electronic detectors for viruses and other biological materials - one that may be a valuable addition to the battle against epidemics.

Scientists demonstrate effect of confining dielectrics on semiconductor nanowire conductivity
Researchers at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), in collaboration with researchers from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), have demonstrated, for the first time, that the activation energy of impurities in semiconductor nanowires is affected by the surrounding dielectric and can be modified by the choice of the nanowire embedding medium.

Self-assembled nanowires could make chips smaller and faster
Researchers at the University of Illinois have found a new way to make transistors smaller and faster. The technique uses self-assembled, self-aligned, and defect-free nanowire channels made of gallium arsenide.

More Nanowire Current Events and Nanowire News Articles

	Oakley Men's Nanowire 2.0 Iridium Polarized Sunglasses,Polished Black Frame/VR28 Black Lens,one size by Oakley The Oakley Nanowire 2.0 Sunglasses feature featherweight titanium alloy wire frames and Unobtanium rubber earpieces that comfortably hug the contours your head. These polarized sunglasses offer a fit for medium to large face sizes. While you're out on the road, the Nanowire's lenses give you the quality distortion-free and glare-destroying polarized optics you'd expect from a genuine Oakley product. The Nanowire frame features memory metal technology, which means the super bendy metal adjusts automatically to comfortably fit your faceit returns to how it's original form when you take these shades off. To keep your sunglasses in pristine condition, Oakley applied a permanent hydrophobic coating so the lens surface repels water, oil, and dust, thus giving you clear vision.
	Oakley Men's Nanowire 3.0 Iridium Polarized Sunglasses,Polished Black Frame/Black Lens,one size by Oakley OAKLEY NANOWIRE 3.0 POLARIZED 12-919 SUNGLASSES FRAME: POLISHED BLACK LENS: BLACK IRIDIUM POLARIZED MODEL # 12-919
	Oakley Oakley Nanowire 2.0 Men's Polarized Active Race Wear Sunglasses - Color: Pewter/Black Iridium, Size: One Size Fits All by Oakley Our athletes spend a lot of time defying gravity, so we figured they should have a lifestyle sunglass that does the same. It's made of an ultra-lightweight titanium alloy that lets us create sculptural contours without sacrificing flexibility, so even if you're just competing in the rat race, you can take advantage of memory metal that offers an adaptable fit. But the real marvel of engineering is the way we packed so much innovation into so light a frame. The unbeatable clarity of HIGH DEFINITION OPTICS (HDO) has been matched with the finest technologies ever to tame light rays. OAKLEY NANOWIRE blocks glare with 99% polarization efficiency, thanks to the best polarized lenses on the planet. Our permanent HYDROPHOBIC lens coating repels water, skin oils and dust. IRIDIUM lens...
	Inorganic Nanowires: Applications, Properties, and Characterization by M. Meyyappan (Author), Mahendra K. Sunkara (Author) Advances in nanofabrication, characterization tools, and the drive to commercialize nanotechnology products have contributed to the significant increase in research on inorganic nanowires (INWs). Yet few if any books provide the necessary comprehensive and coherent account of this important evolution. Presenting essential information on both popular and emerging varieties, Inorganic Nanowires: Applications, Properties, and Characterization addresses the growth, characterization, and properties of nanowires. Authors Meyyappan—a NASA scientist and renowned leader in nanoscience and technology—and Sunkara—a major contributor to nanowire literature—offer an in-depth overview of various types of nanowires, including semiconducting, metallic, and oxide varieties....
	Nanowires and Nanobelts: Materials, Properties and Devices: Volume 1: Metal and Semiconductor Nanowires by Zhong Lin Wang (Editor) This two volume reference, Nanowires and Nanobelts: Materials, Properties and Devices, provides a comprehensive introduction to the field and reviews the current state of the research. Volume 1, Metal and Semiconductor Nanowires covers a wide range of materials systems, from noble metals (such as Au, Ag, Cu), single element semiconductors (such as Si and Ge), compound semiconductors (such as InP, CdS and GaAs as well as heterostructures), nitrides (such as GaN and Si3N4) to carbides (such as SiC). The objective of this volume is to cover the synthesis, properties and device applications of nanowires based on metal and semiconductor materials. The volume starts with a review on novel electronic and optical nanodevices, nanosensors and logic circuits that have been built using...
	Oakley Men's Nanowire 4.0 Iridium Polarized Sunglasses,Matte Black Frame/Black Lens,one size by Oakley Oakley crafted the Nanowire 4.0 Polarized Sunglasses with a high quality titanium alloy and its high Definition Optics for a light weight and glare-reducing performance, whether you're on the slopes or the water. The Nanowire's titanium memory metal provides a flexible and adaptable fit, and the Unobtanium pads increase their grip when you sweat. The hydrophobic coating repels water, dust, dirt and skin oils, and an Iridium lense coating balances light transmission and filters 100% of UV rays. Product FeaturesFrame: Titanium alloy Hinge Type: SteelLens: Glass, PolycarbonateInterchangeable Lens: No Polarized: Yes Face Size: MediumCase Type: Hard Nose Pads: Yes Arm Pads: Yes Recommended Use: Casual, activeManufacturer Warranty:...
	Oakley Men's Nanowire 2.0 Iridium Polarized Sunglasses,Titanium Frame/Tungsten Lens,one size by Oakley The Oakley Nanowire 2.0 Sunglasses feature featherweight titanium alloy wire frames and Unobtanium rubber earpieces that comfortably hug the contours your head. These polarized sunglasses offer a fit for medium to large face sizes. While you're out on the road, the Nanowire's lenses give you the quality distortion-free and glare-destroying polarized optics you'd expect from a genuine Oakley product. The Nanowire frame features memory metal technology, which means the super bendy metal adjusts automatically to comfortably fit your faceit returns to how it's original form when you take these shades off. To keep your sunglasses in pristine condition, Oakley applied a permanent hydrophobic coating so the lens surface repels water, oil, and dust, thus giving you clear vision.
	Nanowires and Nanobelts: Materials, Properties and Devices: Volume 2: Nanowires and Nanobelts of Functional Materials by Zhong Lin Wang (Editor) Nanowires, nanobelts, nanoribbons, nanorods ..., are a new class of quasi-one-dimensional materials that have been attracting a great research interest in the last few years. These non-carbon based materials have been demonstrated to exhibit superior electrical, optical, mechanical and thermal properties, and can be used as fundamental building blocks for nano-scale science and technology, ranging from chemical and biological sensors, field effect transistors to logic circuits. Nanocircuits built using semiconductor nanowires demonstrated were declared a "breakthrough in science" by Science magazine in 2001. Nature magazine recently published a report claiming that "Nanowires, nanorods, nanowhiskers, it does not matter what you call them, they are the hottest property in nanotechnology"...
	Oakley Nanowire 1.0 Men's Polarized Active Lifestyle Racewear Sunglasses - Color: Brown Chrome/Tungsten Iridium, Size: One Size Fits All by Oakley
	Oakley Oakley Nanowire 4.0 Men's Polarized Active Sports Wear Sunglasses $259.00 by Oakley If you get a sinking feeling that the world is disappearing before your eyes, it's probably just hiding in a haze of glare. When light reflects off flat surfaces, the resulting glare can be 10 times brighter. That's not a good thing if you're driving a car, avoiding a water hazard on the back nine or playing any sport to win. Oakley polarized lenses block glare with efficiency greater than 99%, and we make them with a process that eliminates the haze and optical distortion found in ordinary polarized lenses. You won't find satellites or lunar rovers on our product list but when we engineer a sunglasses frame for unparalleled durability and minimized weight, we earn our place in the space race. That's because we start with the same metal used in orbital vehicles, titanium, and we...