A university professor in Georgia has made great strides in creating electricity without the use of a power cord or batteries. Professor ZhongLin Wang and his research team were able to achieve this by rubbing together two different materials. This produces a result known as the triboelectric effect.
The professor believes that smart phones and sensors can benefit from this revolutionary discovery because the method captures mechanical energy that would have otherwise been wasted. The triboelectric effect could also provide power to sensors and enable them to detect explosions, vibrations and water leakages.
The triboelectric generator conducts electricity by using an electron acceptor and an electron donor. electrons flow to each other when both materials come into contact. The research has received sponsorship and support from a variety of interests including Samsung, U.S Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.
Read More: http://phys.org/news/2013-12-capturing-electricity-triboelectric.html