Swiss researchers used a combination of a silicone coating and embedded nanocrystals to create a device that could power LED lightbulbs and small electronics.
The team began by transforming wood into a nanogenerator by sandwiching two pieces of functionalised wood between electrodes.
The wood pieces become electrically charged through periodic contacts and separations when stepped on, a phenomenon called the triboelectric effect. These electrons can then transfer from one object to another, generating an electrical current.
Typically, wood is a poor material for transporting electrons which limits its ability to generate electricity. “The challenge is making wood that is able to attract and lose electrons,” explained senior author Guido Panzarasa at ETH Zürich.
To achieve this, the team coated one piece of the wood with a silicone that gains electrons upon contact, while imbuing the other piece of wood with nanocrystals that have a higher tendency to...