02-04-2010, 11:55 AM
ABSTRACT
Materials Science research is now entered a new phase where the structure and properties of materials are investigated, characterized and controlled at the nanoscale. Though as sophisticated as their larger counterparts, these devices are still burdened because they rely on an outside power. The size of the entire device is determined by the size of the power source. Batteries and other traditional sources are too large, and tend to negate the size advantages of nano devices. Also, batteries being used at present require toxic chemicals and have to be replaced periodically. To overcome these challenges; researchers are finding alternative ways to power nano devices. One promising development is the nano generator. In this talk, we specially emphasized application of nano generators, importance of nanowires in building a nano generator. Nanogenerator allows us to harvest or recycle energy from many sources to power these devices. The nanogenerators take advantage of the unique coupled piezoelectric and semiconducting properties of zinc oxide nanostructures, which produce small electrical charges when they are flexed.
