Static electricity extends battery life

Sihong Wang and Long Lin, a student of the Georgia Institute of Technology (USA), invented a two-layer material that is capable of producing electrically active electromagnetic currents.

The electrostatic force can be harnessed to extend the time it takes to charge the battery

They used thin film boards made of a polymer layer, and the other layer was aluminum. Both layers are engraved with small structures in nanoscale.

When the plastic and metal layers rub together, they create an electrostatic charge. When flexing they also create electric current.

Nanostructures on two layers of material increase the surface area, allowing electrons to have more space to collect and increase the amount of accumulated charge.

Such a combination allows the material to turn the engine into electric current, increasing the electric current output by 40%, according to a report on Nano Letters.

Experimental results showed that a plate of the latest iPod Nano-sized material, 3x1.6 inches, could produce enough charge for the iPod when it was bent.

Experts say the new material may extend the time it takes to charge the battery, thereby improving battery life.