The researchers of which academic institution employed the nanoscale phenomenon called 'Electrokinetic streaming potential' to harvest energy from flowing water on a small scale like water flowing through household water taps?

IIT Guwahati

The correct answer is option 1. IIT Guwahati.

Electrokinetic Streaming Potential for Energy Harvesting

Let's delve into how electrokinetic streaming potential allows researchers at IIT Guwahati to harvest energy from flowing water.

Electrokinetic Streaming Potential:

Imagine a scenario where an electrolyte solution (a liquid containing electrically charged particles called ions) flows through a tiny channel with charged walls. As the fluid moves, the ions in a thin layer near the wall, called the electrical double layer (EDL), get dragged along with the flow.

This movement of charged ions creates an electrical potential difference, similar to a tiny battery, across the channel. This phenomenon is known as electrokinetic streaming potential.

Energy Harvesting from Flowing Water:

IIT Guwahati researchers harnessed this principle to design materials that convert the energy of flowing water into electricity. Here's how it works:

Microfluidic Channels: The researchers create microfluidic channels, which are essentially tiny pathways for fluids on a microscopic scale.

Charged Channel Walls: These channels are made of materials with specific surface properties that make their walls charged.

Flowing Water: When water containing dissolved ions (electrolyte) flows through these microfluidic channels, the electrokinetic streaming potential comes into play.

Potential Difference: The movement of charged ions due to the flow creates a measurable voltage difference across the channel.

Harvesting Electricity: This voltage difference, although small, can be harnessed using miniaturized electrical components to generate a usable amount of electricity.

Applications:

This technology is particularly promising for harvesting energy from low-flow sources like household tap water. The generated electricity could potentially power small electronic devices or even be used for sensor applications.

Benefits:

Clean and Sustainable: It utilizes a clean and renewable energy source – flowing water.

Low-Flow Applications: It can harvest energy from sources with minimal water flow.

Miniaturization Potential: The microfluidic design allows for compact and portable energy generation units.

Challenges:

Efficiency Improvement: Currently, the amount of electricity generated might be limited. Further research is needed to enhance the efficiency of this technique.

Scalability: Scaling up this technology for larger-scale electricity generation might require further development.

Overall, electrokinetic streaming potential offers a promising avenue for harvesting energy from everyday water sources. Researchers at IIT Guwahati are at the forefront of exploring this innovative technology.