A system capable of generating electricity just by flowing salt water over a metal nanofilm will be developed
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In recent years, in addition to power generation using renewable energy such as wind power and solar power, fusion power generation, etc., power generation methods using various things such as “ byproducts of cheese making ” and “ mushrooms and bacteria ” have been devised. . Research teams such as Franz Geiger , a professor of chemistry at Northwestern University , have developed a method of generating electricity by flowing salt water over a glass or plastic plate with a metal coating.
Energy conversion via metal nanolayers | PNAS
https://www.pnas.org/content/116/33/16210
Run Saltwater Over This Nanofilm To Make Electricity IEEE Spectrum-IEEE Spectrum
https://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/green-tech/geothermal-and-tidal/a-saltwater-river-runs-through-it
The research team of Geiger et al. Devised a mechanism to generate a current in a metal film by depositing a very thin film of iron or nickel on a plastic or glass plate and flowing seawater on the surface.
Mr. Geiger claims that devices using this power generation method can be manufactured in a very inexpensive way using common materials. Because it is difficult to manufacture a thin metal film with a large area as a single unit, it is easy to attach the film to the surface of a plate such as glass. “If it is well insulated, the system will work,” Geiger says.
The basic idea is sodium contained in salt water ions is in the metal film free electrons thing called encourage free electrons in synchronism with the movement of water droplets flowing current is generated by moving in the metal film. According to Geiger, the oxide layer on the metal film surface will not allow sodium ions to receive free electrons.
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Of course, there are very few electrons in the metal film that can be moved by a single water droplet, and very little current is generated. However, although no demonstration experiment has been conducted at the time of writing the article, the calculation suggests that this power generation method can generate several kilowatts of electricity per hour.
Geiger et al. Believe that by applying metal film coating to 100 thin plastic plates measuring 10 meters square and flowing water containing a large amount of ions, 2-5 kilowatts of electricity can be generated per hour. . “If we can make 100 power generation panels, we can expand the scale to 1 million,” Geiger commented.
In addition, the liquid that flows on the surface of the plate does not necessarily need to be salt water or seawater. In principle, even human blood can be generated using Geiger's system if ions are included. . Although it is far from being realized, if a power generation device can be embedded in a blood vessel, it can also generate electricity from blood that operates in the body.
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The research team believes that in addition to the power of microdevices embedded in the body, the method devised for a system that propels water in the sea is also effective. The U.S. Navy Research Agency has been named as the funder of the papers by Geiger et al.
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