24/7 Space News
ENERGY TECH
Researchers make wearable materials that generate power and improve comfort
illustration only
Researchers make wearable materials that generate power and improve comfort
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 16, 2025

Researchers have developed innovative wearable materials that not only generate electricity through human movement but also enhance user comfort. This advancement stems from an in-depth study of materials that reduce friction and simultaneously produce energy when interacting with surfaces.

Central to the research are molecules known as amphiphiles, commonly found in consumer products like diapers to minimize friction against human skin. "We set out to develop a model that would give us a detailed fundamental understanding of how different amphiphiles affect the surface friction of different materials," said Lilian Hsiao, the corresponding author of the study and an associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at North Carolina State University. "The model helps us understand the molecular basis for friction reduction and can be used by engineers to tailor a material's properties for different applications."

The team conducted experiments to determine whether amphiphiles could modify materials to function as haptic energy harvesters. "Specifically, we wanted to know if we could create energy from friction in amphiphile-modified materials. It turns out we could not only generate electricity but also reduce the friction that people wearing these materials experience," said Saad Khan, co-corresponding author and INVISTA Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NC State.

The findings reveal that amphiphiles enable the creation of wearable fabrics with slippery surfaces that feel comfortable against human skin. Furthermore, some amphiphiles possess electronic properties that allow them to donate electrons. When incorporated into wearable materials, these electron-donating amphiphiles facilitated electricity generation through friction created by contact with human skin or other surfaces.

"The technology for harvesting static energy is well established, but devices that can be worn for long periods of time are still missing," Hsiao explained. "In our proof-of-concept testing, we found these amphiphile materials not only feel good on the skin but could generate up to 300 volts, which is remarkable for a small piece of material."

Balancing friction and comfort is critical to designing effective haptic technologies, and amphiphile chemistry provides a straightforward method to achieve this balance. "An optimal balance between friction needed to generate power and maintaining the comfort of the wearer is paramount in designing haptic technologies, and amphiphile chemistry offers a facile way to do so," Khan added. The team aims to explore further applications of these materials, including integration into existing haptic devices, and is open to collaboration with industry partners to identify new uses.

Research Report:Compressing Slippery Surface-Assembled Amphiphiles for Tunable Haptic Energy Harvesters

Related Links
North Carolina State University
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
ENERGY TECH
Small changes can dramatically boost efficacy of piezoceramics
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jan 10, 2025
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in collaboration with international partners, have demonstrated how minor adjustments can significantly improve the performance of commonly used piezoelectric ceramic materials. Their findings, published in the journal Nature, highlight that reducing the thickness of piezoceramics and minimizing atomic defects during manufacturing can dramatically enhance their effectiveness. Piezoelectric materials deform when subjected to an electric field, ... read more

ENERGY TECH
Achieving High Precision for In-Orbit Instrument Calibration

Hexagon to acquire Septentrio driving advancements in mission-critical navigation and autonomy

ISS crew prepares for spacewalks and advances scientific research

NSF and ISS Lab allocate funding for space research projects

ENERGY TECH
Stratolaunch Awarded 247M by Missile Defense Agency for Hypersonic Flight Testing

Rocket Lab to Provide Hypersonic Test Launches for Department of Defense

Westinghouse Awarded NASA DOE Contract for Space Microreactor Development

SpaceX launches 21 Starlinks using 1st-stage on it's 25th mission; launches NRO spysat from Vandenberg

ENERGY TECH
NASA eyes SpaceX, Blue Origin to cut Mars rock retrieval costs

January's Night Sky Notes: The Red Planet

Evidence exists for hidden water reservoirs and rare magmas on ancient Mars

University of Houston scientists solving meteorological mysteries on Mars

ENERGY TECH
China's human spaceflight program achieves key milestones in 2024

China's space journey continues apace

Shenzhou XIX crew completes successful spacewalk outside Tiangong station

China boosts Lunar and Mars mission capabilities with advanced Long March rockets

ENERGY TECH
The Space Economy to Reach $944 Billion by 2033

Siemens launches initiative to support startups with advanced technology

AST SpaceMobile secures long-term spectrum access to advance space-based cellular services

India's space economy to grow nearly 5 times in next decade

ENERGY TECH
New filter captures and recycles aluminum from manufacturing waste

Study uncovers gold's journey from Earth's mantle to surface

Mexico hails $5 bn Amazon investment in face of Trump threats

Revealing new insights into single-atom metal alloy properties

ENERGY TECH
Dormancy as a survival strategy for life's origins

SETI Forward celebrates the future of cosmic exploration

An autonomous strategy for life detection on icy worlds using Exo-AUV

Living in the deep, dark, slow lane: Insights from the first global appraisal of microbiomes in Earth's subsurface environments

ENERGY TECH
Citizen scientists help decipher Jupiter's cloud composition

Capture theory unveils how Pluto and Charon formed as a binary system

Texas A and M researchers illuminate the mysteries of icy ocean worlds

Jovian vortex hunter catalog reveals stunning insights into Jupiter's atmosphere

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.