According to The Straits Times, researchers at the National University of Singapore created a battery that runs on humidity (NUS).
Assistant Professor Tan Swee Ching of NUS' Department of Materials Science and Engineering told The Straits Times that the novel device not only has a higher voltage than conventional chemical batteries but is also made of non-toxic, environmentally friendly materials like sea salt, eradicating a source of e-waste.
Every year, Singapore produces over 60,000 tonnes of electronic garbage, it's just like almost 70 mobile phones per person.
According to Zhang Yaoxin, a research member at NUS' Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the moisture-electricity generating device may be linked to a chance experimentation in 2020. Zhang is a member of the study team.
He said that the team unintentionally discovered electricity could be produced via an interaction between a moist and dry surface when working with materials in the lab.
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Using this idea, the team created its MEG, which consists of a fabric layer with a thickness of roughly 0.3 mm, a layer of sea salt, carbon ink, and a gel that absorbs water.
The voltage of the constructed gadget, made up of three pieces of cloth, was tested and found to be as high as 1.96V, which is higher than the 1.5V of a typical AA battery and is sufficient to power small electrical devices.
