KOCHI: Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) has been granted an Indian patent for the development of a triboelectric power generator based on a novel conducting polymer-polydimethylsiloxane composite. The patent is an outcome of the research carried out at the Department of Polymer Science and Rubber Technology (PS&RT) by professor Dr Honey John, director of Inter-University Centre for Nanomaterials and Devices (IUCND), former PhD scholar Dr Divya Jose, postdoctoral fellow Dr Jelmy E J and retired professor Dr Rani Joseph.
A groundbreaking composite incorporating conducting polymer and polydimethylsiloxane polymer has been innovated for triboelectric nanogenerators, paving the way for harnessing energy from diverse sources such as vibrations, wind, human motion, and ocean currents. It holds significant promise in powering nanoelectronic devices through unused mechanical energy, thereby advancing the field of self-powered sensing and enabling the detection of stimuli without reliance on external power sources.