An acceleration of a certain chemical reaction along a nanotube turns out could generate power. This energy source could generate power three to four times greater than the best lithium-ion batteries available in the market.

Their discovery could prove to be a breakthrough in the way we currently store energy and generate power. The fascinating part is that the discovery was made while researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and RMIT University were in a “sabbatical.”

In 2009 and 2010 while on sabbatical from RMIT, Dr Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh, Associate Professor from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, joined the nanotechnology research group of Michael Strano, an MIT Associate Professor.

The team was working on measuring the acceleration of a chemical reaction along a nanotube when they discovered that the reaction generated power.

Now the two researchers are using their combined expertise in chemistry and nanomaterials to explore this phenomenon.

Their work titled “Nanodynamite: Fuel-coated nanotubes” could provide bursts of power to the smallest systems. Dr Kalantar-zadeh said that his experimental system, based on one of the materials that have come from nanotechnology — carbon nanotubes — generates power, something researchers had not seen before.

“By coating a nanotube in nitrocellulose fuel and igniting one end, we set off a combustion wave along it and learned that a nanotube is an excellent conductor of heat from burning fuel. Even better, the combustion wave creates a strong electric current,” he said.

“Our discovery that a thermopower wave works best across these tubes because of their dual conductivity turns conventional thermoelectricity on its head.

“It's the first viable nanoscale approach to power generation that exploits the thermoelectric effect by overcoming the feasibility issues associated with minimising dimensions.

“But there are multiple angles to explore when it comes to taming these exotic waves and, ultimately, finding out if they're the wave of the future.”

Their discovery will be featured in is the December IEEE Spectrum Magazine, the publication of the IEEE, the world's largest professional technology association.

Source: RMIT