Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a device capable of generating electricity from the atmosphere. This was reported on the website of the institute.
The device operates on the basis of daily fluctuations in ambient temperature. So, with a difference between day and night temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius, it generates 1.3 milliwatts of energy and 350 millivolts of potential. This is sufficient to support the operation of simple sensors and communication devices.
Inside the device is a copper and nickel metal foam coated with a graphene layer and filled with a special wax. As a result, one side of the appliance generates heat, while the other accumulates, and such temperature fluctuations allow the generation of electricity. This thermal resonator has the highest thermal inertia known to science, according to scientists.
Experts plan to increase its capacity to provide the ability to charge mobile devices, including smartphones. It is assumed that in the future, the thermal resonator will allow electrifying remote regions, as well as provide electricity to astronauts.
