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A lignin membrane impregnated with a saline solution can generate an electric current, which is then stored using an environmentally friendly battery created from wood waste. This technology opens up new perspectives for the development of portable electronics and energy-efficient devices. The results of the study are published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.
Researchers from Ireland and Spain have developed a way to generate electricity from the heat of the human body using environmentally friendly materials. The basis for the technology was lignin, a vegetable substance extracted from wood waste. This affordable and renewable material turned out to be ideal for a membrane that converts heat into electricity in low-temperature thermoelectric processes.
On average, the human body emits 60-80 W of heat per hour - enough to power small electronic devices. The difficulty lies in how to effectively capture and store this heat. The conversion of low-temperature heat, for example, from the human body or mechanisms, is usually inefficient, but precisely such flows of "waste" heat account for more than 66% of heat losses to the environment. Therefore, solving this problem can radically improve the performance of portable electronics.
A team of scientists from the University of Limerick and the University of Valencia created a membrane made of lignin impregnated with a saline solution. Under the influence of heat, a potential difference arose in the membrane, created by the movement of positive ions, which made it possible to accumulate the received electric current. In addition, scientists have developed an environmentally friendly ion storage device, using wood waste to create a porous carbon material that serves as a supercapacitor. The technology makes it possible to store and use electricity without toxic elements such as lead or antimony, opening prospects for creating safe and environmentally friendly electronics.
