Materials that convert light, heat, and kinetic energy into electricity

Scientists at the University of Oulu, Finland, have discovered a new material capable of converting different types of energy into electricity belonging to the perovskite crystal family.

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Perovskite is a material used to make photovoltaic cells. Photo: Craig Russell.

The newly discovered material, called KBNNO (based on its chemical formula), can convert heat, visible light, and pressure into electricity, according to IFL Science. Like other crystals in the perovskite family, KBNNO is a ferroelectric material. This material is made up of dielectric poles, which act like tiny compasses. When a physical change occurs, its two poles move apart, creating an electric current.

The research was published in the February issue of Applied Physics Letters. Previous studies concluded that KBNNO is capable of converting visible light into electricity, but only at low temperatures down to minus several hundred degrees Celsius.

The new research was conducted at room temperature. The team studied KBNNO’s ability to convert light into electricity, and also looked at how the material responded to changes in temperature and pressure. This is the first time all of these properties have been evaluated together.

The data showed that while the material could use all of the changes to generate electricity, it didn't perform as well as other typical crystals. However, the researchers expect they can improve on that.

“All of the properties of KBNNO can be tuned for maximum efficiency,” said research team leader Yang Bai.

This type of versatile material has many industrial applications, including the ability to charge devices from sources in the environment without the need for constant access to an outlet.

“This will promote the development of Internet of Things products and smart city models where sensors and power-consuming devices use sustainable energy sources,” Bai shared.

According to VNE