title: Self-powered system with wireless data transmission.
abstract: We demonstrate the first self-powered system driven by a nanogenerator (NG) that works wirelessly and independently for long-distance data transmission. The NG was made of a free cantilever beam that consisted of a five-layer structure: a flexible polymer substrate, ZnO nanowire textured films on its top and bottom surfaces, and electrodes on the surfaces. When it was strained to 0.12% at a strain rate of 3.56% S(-1), the measured output voltage reached 10 V, and the output current exceeded 0.6 μA (corresponding power density 10 mW/cm(3)). A system was built up by integrating a NG, rectification circuit, capacitor for energy storage, sensor, and RF data transmitter. Wireless signals sent out by the system were detected by a commercial radio at a distance of 5-10 m. This study proves the feasibility of using ZnO nanowire NGs for building self-powered systems, and its potential application in wireless biosensing, environmental/infrastructure monitoring, sensor networks, personal electronics, and even national security.
authors: School of Material Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0245, United States.
authors: Youfan
authors: Y
authors: Hu
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Chen
authors: C
authors: Xu
authors: Long
authors: L
authors: Lin
authors: Robert L
authors: RL
authors: Snyder
authors: Zhong Lin
authors: ZL
authors: Wang