Nanogenerators

About

Background: A Georgia Tech researcher has developed a nanoscale power generation system that has improved power generation and service life. Many micro-scale and nano-scale machines have been proposed for such use in medical devices. However, most of these machines are limited by the size of the power source that drives them. Specifically, many such designs rely on chemical batteries to supply electrical power to the devices. Therefore, they can be no smaller than the battery used and are useful only so long as the battery is able to provide power. These shortcomings have been addressed by developing piezoelectric-coated carbon nanotube generators that are capable of providing power to nanoscale systems for longer periods than conventional methods.