EAGER: High Output-Power Nanogenerators for Manufacturing Self-Powered Nanosystems

开发无线纳米器件和纳米系统对于传感、医学科学、国防技术甚至个人电子产品至关重要。无线设备，甚至是植入式生物医学设备都非常需要在不使用电池的情况下自供电。必须探索创新的纳米技术，将机械能（如身体运动，肌肉拉伸）和振动能转换为电能，用于在不使用电池的情况下为纳米设备供电。这是迈向自供电纳米系统的关键一步。提出了一种利用压电氧化锌纳米线阵列将纳米级机械能转化为电能的新方法，研究的核心将集中在提高输出电压和纳米发电机的制作上。该技术可以通过机械运动/振动、心脏跳动、食物步骤、噪音、微风来收集能量。本提案旨在将本发明发展为可制造的技术，以供实际应用。所提出的研究将极大地影响本科生和研究生的教育和培训。这项研究将为我们提供一个很好的机会，从代表性不足的群体中招募本科生参与纳米科学前沿和与社会需求高度相关的项目。研究计划和结果还将用于帮助K-12学校的教师和学生，通过两个参与机构组织的几个外展计划。它还为我们提供了支持，让本科生充分参与我们正在进行的研究。

Developing wireless nanodevices and nanosystems are of critical importance for sensing, medical science, defense technology and even personal electronics. It is highly desired for wireless devices and even required for implanted biomedical devices to be self-powered without using battery. It is essential to explore innovative nanotechnologies for converting mechanical energy (such as body movement, muscle stretching) and vibration energy into electric energy that will be used to power nanodevices without using battery. This is a key step towards self-powered nanosystems. An innovative approach is proposed for converting nano-scale mechanical energy into electric energy by piezoelectric zinc oxide nanowire arrays, and the core of the research will focus on raising the output voltage and the manufacturing of the nanogenerators. The technology makes it possible to harvest energy supplied by mechanical movement/vibration, heart beating, food steps, noises, light wind. This proposal is to develop this invention into a manufacturable technology for practical applications.The proposed research will greatly impact the education and training of undergraduate and graduate students. The research will provide an excellent opportunity for us to recruit undergraduate students from under represented groups to participate in a project at the frontier of nanoscience and highly-relevant to the need of the society. The research program and results will also be used to help K-12 school teachers and students through several outreach programs organized by the two participating institutes. It also gives us the support to fully involve undergraduate students in our on-going research.