Fudan University researchers created a potassium polyacrylate skin for microrobots. It harvests electricity from metal surfaces using atmospheric moisture and oxygen. The skin powers over 10,000 walking steps without a battery. It remains stable after one million steps. The membrane is as thin as 135 micrometers. It delivers 133 milliwatts per square centimeter on zinc. On aluminum it reaches 103 milliwatts per square centimeter. The skin also senses substrate material and roughness. It works in extreme temperatures from -20°C to 80°C. The system recovers performance after water evaporates.
What changed
Microrobots required onboard batteries that limited runtime to minutes.
What it unlocks
Microrobots can now generate electricity from metal surfaces they walk on without carrying a battery.
- 10,000 powered steps sustained
- 133 mW/cm² on zinc
- 103 mW/cm² on aluminum
- 135 micrometers thin
What you need to act on it
- a metal or semiconductor substrate
- atmospheric moisture and oxygen
Sources