Power

For emerging wearable tech to advance, it needs improved power sources. Now researchers have provided a potential solution via crumpled carbon nanotube forests, or CNT forests.

CPI is part of a project focused on next generation battery and sensor work. Operating alongside partners on the BatterySense programme, CPI is supporting work to reduce the size of existing wireless sensing form factors by exploiting additive manufacture. This allows for the intimate integration of batteries into the substrates of ultrathin label-like sensors fabricated by roll-to-roll processes.

Researchers have invented a weavable filament that both captures and stores solar energy simultaneously—two capabilities that have only been available in separate devices until now.

Researchers have created a new concept of thermoelectric material, a device composed of cellulose, produced in situ in the laboratory by bacteria, with small amounts of a conductive nanomaterial, carbon nanotubes, using a sustainable and environmentally friendly strategy.

Some research has shown that small amounts of power can be harvested from a human body over an eight-hour workday, but the special materials needed at present are either very expensive, toxic or inefficient.

Researchers have developed an easy way to make complicated arrays of microsupercapacitors that involves screen-printing them out of graphene ink. The simplicity and freedom offered by the approach will aid the development of new approaches to electronics and flexible devices.

Researchers have developed a new system to charge electronic devices such as smartphones and smartwatches wirelessly. The method involves a cuttable, flexible power transfer sheet which charges devices wirelessly and can be molded or even cut with scissors to fit different-shaped surfaces and objects.

Flexible, wireless electronic devices are rapidly emerging and have reached the level of commercialization; nevertheless, most of battery shapes are limited to either spherical and/or rectangular structures, which results in inefficient space use.

A new technology uses textiles as battery cells, which significantly improves the amount of energy that can be stored, meaning that the new battery could potentially power an object as energy intensive as a laptop or smartphone.The technology enables the use of smaller battery cells, allowing for larger capacities.