Nanodevice produces continuous electricity from evaporation

A nanodevice developed at EPFL produces an autonomous, stable current from evaporating saltwater by using heat and light to control the movement of ions and electrons. Previously, researchers in the Laboratory of Nanoscience for Energy Technology (LNET) in EPFL's School of Engineering reported a platform for studying the hydrovoltaic (HV) effect—a phenomenon that allows electricity to be harvested when fluid is passed over the charged surface of a nanodevice. Their platform consisted of a hexagonal network of silicon nanopillars, the space between which created channels for evaporating fluid samples.