The galvanic series (or electropotential series) determines how well two metals will work together to make a battery. When two metals are submerged in an electrolyte, while electrically connected, the less noble (base) will experience galvanic corrosion. The rate of corrosion is determined by the electrolyte and the difference in nobility. The difference can be measured as a difference in…
The triboelectric effect is a type of contact electrification in which certain materials become electrically charged after they come into contact with another different material through friction. Rubbing glass with fur, or a comb through the hair, can build up triboelectricity. Most everyday static electricity is triboelectric. The polarity and strength of the charges produced differ according to the materials, surface roughness, temperature, and other properties.…
A creative inventor has come up with a wind turbine to charge your cell phone while riding your bike. It looks like a little fan built into a iphone case and of course he named it ifan. Tjeerd Veenhoven, of the Netherlands, says it takes about 6 hours to fully charge a iphone with his…
I found a great video on the making of a simple electric generator. It produces enough power to light a small light bulb. It uses scrap cardboard, wire and magnets. A good friend told me about how education programs are running into problems due to the lack of electricity in the homes and the…
In many of the worlds slums, people are packed into every available space. Home are built next to each other with no windows to let in light. People live in darkness 24 hours a day. Electricity for lights is either unavailable, sporadic, or too expensive leaving millions in darkness at high noon. Simple recycled plastic…
A exciting and promising technology is microbial fuel cell. These use microbes to product electricity and can convert human waste such as urine into electricity. This technology is a long way off but is exciting. Read more: http://www.microbialfuelcell.org
