Innovation of an Electric Generator for Charging Phones from "Friction of Clothing"

Scientists from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University have developed the first nano-scale triboelectric generator that converts mechanical friction energy into electricity. According to the inventors, when this generator, which is a few microns thick, is installed on clothing, it can recharge a smartphone simply by the spontaneous contact of the clothing while walking. The innovators noted in an interview with the newspaper "Izvestia" that this device generates a voltage of up to 170 volts, nearly doubling the capabilities of its counterparts. Professor Oleg Tolchko stated: "In addition to generating electricity through electromagnetic induction, the device produces electricity through contact—separating charges when dissimilar materials touch. Compared to traditional methods of harvesting energy from the environment, the method of obtaining energy using triboelectric generators is almost independent of external conditions and provides a stable, reliable energy source when walking or running. It utilizes random mechanical energy from contact between different materials during the movement of people, machines, and environmental objects. Its efficiency level depends on the characteristics of the pair of materials in contact." Contact electrification occurs when two different materials touch, resulting in an equal number of positive and negative charges on their surfaces, and when they stop touching, the current flows due to the voltage difference.