Creating devices that are better for the environment may involve working up a good sweat. That's because engineers are using sweat to make systems that store energy. One such device is a type of capacitor. It is powered by sweat and can be used to charge a device. Researchers at the University of Glasgow in Scotland developed the device. A capacitor is an electrical component that stores energy physically, in a form very much like static electricity. (In contrast, batteries store energy chemically.)
The system recently developed is a supercapacitor. This is a capacitor with two conducting surfaces on which a charge of energy is stored. The energy it stores can be used later. The energy could power an LED light or a type of electronic. Researchers described their new model May 11, 2020 in a scientific journal. The findings are exciting because devices powered by sweat could pave the way to wearable tech that is both safer and better for the environment. Today's wearable electronics include gadgets strapped to the body, such as watches and fitness trackers. However, engineers are also creating electronics that are part of clothing or stuck onto the skin.
Batteries power most wearable devices today. Yet those batteries often contain chemicals that can harm the environment. That's where the idea of using a bodily fluid comes into play. Electrolytes(电解质) are minerals in your body that have an electric charge. With the device, the sweat serves as the electrolyte. "That's kind of a new way of using sweat, "observes Mallika Bariya. She is a scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. She did not take part in the new study. She says electrolytes are an important part of these supercapacitors. They're needed for these devices to provide power. Sweat is interesting, not gross, she argues. It can tell you about someone's health. Also, the chemical makeup of sweat can change depending on what part of the body makes it.