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University researcher demonstrates graphene energy harvester to Fayetteville airport board
Summary
A university representative showed a graphene "energy harvester" licensed to NTS Innovations, demonstrated a single-chip output and discussed early Internet-of-Things sensor applications that could reduce battery use for low-power devices.
David, who leads Technology Ventures at the university, presented research on a graphene energy-harvesting device licensed to NTS Innovations and described laboratory and early applied work during the board's Nov. 20 meeting.
David demonstrated a single chip from the device on a breadboard and told the board it produced about "1.3 volts" in room-temperature conditions during his demonstration. He said the device can harvest energy from heat, light or vibration and that, when arrayed and stacked, the chips can increase volumetric energy density compared with traditional two'dimensional solar panels.
The university has published an initial use case showing a graphene energy harvester powering a temperature sensor; according to David, the system's storage capacitors charged in minutes and powered the sensor for more than 24 hours without recharging. "This is their beachhead market," he said, describing plans to target Internet-of-Things sensor applications first, where the devices could reduce or eliminate battery changes for low'power sensors.
David said the technology works at room temperature and in vacuum, and that university researchers have packaged chips about the size of a dime and an AA battery for demonstrations. The university has licensed the technology to NTS Innovations, which is preparing initial products to power sensors and other low'power applications.
Board members asked about possible aviation uses and manufacturing costs; David said lower-grade graphene (multiple layers with permissible defects) can work, which reduces production cost and that arrays of chips are the likely manufacturing approach. He described the work as early-stage but promising for niche applications.
"You can actually power the temperature sensor basically in real time," David said, summarizing the published use case.
The board welcomed the presentation as an inspiring, forward'looking end to the year. No procurement or deployment decisions were made by the board at the meeting.
