Scientists from the University of Oulu have discovered a new material that is capable of converting various types of energy into electricity. The material is a perovskite crystal, a family of crystals renowned for its ability to convert certain types of energy into electricity.
What do we know about the new material
The new material, known as KBNNO (based on its chemical formula), can convert heat, visible light, and pressure changes into electricity. Like other perovskite crystals, KBNNO is a ferroelectric. The material is organized into electric dipoles - tiny compass needles, and when the physical changes that occur in the dipoles do not match, it creates an electric current.
The study, published in Applied Physics Letters, complements previous similar work, which showed that KBNNO generates electricity from visible light, although this material has been tested at temperatures several hundred degrees below zero.
The new study was conducted at room temperature. Scientists have studied the ability of KBNNO to convert visible light into electricity, and also investigated how a material under pressure reacts to changes in temperature. This is the first time that all properties were evaluated at once.
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The data shows that while this material can use all the modifications to create electricity, it is not as efficient as specific crystals, which are more specialized. However, the researchers are quite optimistic and believe they can improve it.
Industrial applications
This type of material has a variety of industrial applications, including the ability to charge devices from environmental sources without having to directly plug them in.
The emergence of such material will stimulate the development of the Internet and smart cities, where energy-intensive sensors and devices can be energetically sustainable.
Researchers plan to develop a prototype next year, and if they can find the right crystal, commercialization of this technology will be a matter of time.
Anna Pismenna
