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Polymer Film Could Power Microelectronic Devices

MIT engineers have created a new polymer film that can generate electricity by drawing on a ubiquitous source - water vapor. The new material changes its shape after absorbing tiny amounts of evaporated water, allowing it to repeatedly curl up and down. Harnessing this continuous motion could drive robotic limbs or generate enough electricity to power micro- and nanoelectronic devices, such as environmental sensors. The new film is made from an interlocking network of two different polymers. One of the polymers, polypyrrole, forms a hard but flexible matrix that provides structural support. The other polymer, polyol-borate, is a soft gel that swells when it absorbs water. The polymer film could be used in artificial muscle and to power micro- and nanoelectronic devices.

Topics:
Automation Energy Energy Harvesting MEMs Materials Medical Motion Control Nanotechnology Plastics Power Robotics Sensors

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    Transcript

    00:00:05 MIT researchers at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research have developed a new material that changes its shape after absorbing water vapor. This material is made from an inter-locking network of two different polymers. One forms a hard but flexible matrix that provides structural support, while the other is a soft gel that swells when it absorbs water. Together these polymers create a material that converts water vapor to energy without the use of an external energy source. When the 20 micrometer thick film is exposed to moisture the

    00:00:39 bottom layer absorbs the evaporated water forcing the film to curl away from the surface. Once the bottom of the film is exposed to the air it quickly releases the moisture causing it to somersault forward and start to curl up once more. Researchers were surprised to discover not only does it need a very small amount of vapor, but it also demonstrated a large amount of strength. Using only water vapor as an energy source the film can lift a load of silver wires ten times its own weight. Harnessing this continuous motion could drive artificial robotic muscles

    00:01:11 or generate enough electricity to power small electronics.