Hybrid Material Harnesses Motion and Sunlight

Sep-15-16 An innovative new hybrid fabric from researchers the Georgia Institute of Technology can harvest energy from both sunlight and motion.

The fabric was created by weaving together solar cells made of polymer fibers with fiber-based triboelectric generators. The textile will generate power by harnessing the energy created by the friction of the materials rubbing together, while the wire-shaped solar cells capture the sun’s rays. To test the material, the team used a piece about as large as a sheet of standard paper to create a flag that was then flown from the window of a moving car. The material was able to generate a “significant amount of power,” even though the day was cloudy.

The material also has the added bonus of being lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture, and can be scaled up.

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