We are surrounded by energy in different forms: heat, sunlight, the movement of our bodies. Usually, all this richness is lost without any benefit, but with the advent of solar cells and thermo – and piezoelectric materials the sun’s energy and movement can be turned into electricity. However, while it requires three different types of materials, mechanics and heat separately.
Finnish scientists seem to have found a material that can cope with all three challenges simultaneously. They turned out to be one of the varieties of natural pervoskite codenamed KBNNO. Previous studies have shown that KBNNO able to convert light and pressure to electrical impulse, but only at temperatures close to absolute zero. And Yang Bai (Bai Yang) and his colleagues from the University of Oulu prove that this mineral has the same properties and at room temperature.
However, photo-, thermo – and piezoelectric properties of perovskite “three in one” while inferior to the same properties of minerals, which perform only one function. But Finnish scientists believe that the crystal structure KBNNO can manipulate and make it work efficiently in all three directions. Then on its basis you can create devices that can generate electricity upon compression, the heating/cooling or from the sunlight.
