Researchers at the University of Limerick in Ireland have made a breakthrough that could change components in everyday devices forever. According to The University Network, the researchers have developed a way to grow organic crystals that can be used for energy harvesting.
The energy is generated by squeezing amino acid molecules. Generating energy by applying pressure is known as piezoelectricity and is usually found in ceramics or polymers. Its application can be found in sensors for phones, cars, and medical equipment, just to name a few. For example, when you tap your smartphone to open an app or make a phone call, that's piezoelectrics at work.
Unfortunately, many devices that use piezoelectricity contain lead, and that's where this breakthrough can be helpful.
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According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 68 million tons of electronic waste was produced globally in 2022, and lead is a common substance in e-waste that is then released into the environment. Lead is, of course, incredibly toxic and can be particularly hazardous for children and pregnant women.
The implications of the breakthrough could be massive. It allows the researchers to shape the crystals into any custom shape required for whatever application they'll be used for using silicon molds, and it could be used in place of damaging materials like lead in consumer products.
"There are about 4,000 tons of lead-based electronic waste generated from these sensors every year, and this research has the potential to remove this waste from the manufacturing process," said Sarah Guerin, UL associate professor and co-author of the study.
According to the study's lead author, Krishna Hari, a doctoral student at UL, the method is also low-cost, which has made the researchers optimistic about its potential impact.
"We hope it will be a game-changer for the whole field because there are many scientists trying to grow biological crystals that are still behaving in a chaotic way," Guerin said. "I am excited to see if this takes off as a methodology for other people working in sustainable piezoelectrics."
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