NTS Innovations proudly announced its support today for an academic paper validating a nanoscale energy harvesting concept from the University of Arkansas.
"Fluctuation-induced current from freestanding graphene," the peer-reviewed study authored by Paul Thibado, Pradeep Kumar, Surendra Singh, Miguel Ruiz-Garcia, Antonio Lasanta and Luis L. Bonilla, was recently published in Physical Review E. The group explains how a nanoscale energy harvesting system, driven by fluctuations in freestanding graphene, can continuously produce current without violating the Second Law of Thermodynamics. "This work represents years of research, toil and careful analysis around the idea of nanoscale energy harvesting, which has enormous implications for society. We are incredibly proud of the hard work put forth by Dr. Thibado and his team and extend our congratulations for this exciting effort," said Donald Meyer, CEO of NTS Innovations.
Dr. Thibado, a physics professor at the University of Arkansas, has been studying graphene since shortly after its discovery in 2004. At a thickness of merely one atom, graphene is often touted as a wonder material because of its unique physical properties. Using highly specialized equipment, Dr. Thibado has been able to characterize the spontaneous movement or buckling of freestanding graphene membranes. In 2016 he theorized these buckling movements could serve to drive an energy harvesting circuit in a nanoscale electric generator system. A common criticism with this concept was it seemingly violated the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
The groundbreaking study rebuts this criticism in great detail, paving the way for future advancements in clean energy. “This paper provides further evidence that we are on the right track with Graphene Energy Harvesting. We expect this to accelerate the path to field validation and market enthusiasm," states Preston Carter, who leads R&D at NTS.
About NTS Innovations
NTS has partnered with the University of Arkansas’ Technology Ventures under a worldwide exclusive license to transition GEH from the laboratory to the marketplace. With patents pending in the US and internationally, development on a semiconductor-based chip for use as a battery replacement or supplement in small electronics is currently underway.
