Sustainable Innovation: Hardwood Floors That Generate Electricity

In today’s day and age, it doesn’t surprise anyone that solar panels are installed on our homes’ roofs. Here in the U.S., there are entire micro-districts in which communities have abandoned the irrational use of electricity and exclusively use solar energy.

What if we told you that with today’s progress in modern technology, you will soon be able to provide your home with electricity simply by walking around your house? Have you already guessed what we are getting at? In addition to admiring your hardwood floors every day, did you ever imagine it could soon serve as an additional or even the main source of electricity?

A new study has shown how chargeable wooden flooring can power electrical devices.

That’s right:  Wood flooring will soon become a source of renewable energy, according to researchers who found a way to turn foot traffic into electricity.

A team of scientists from the Wood Materials Science Laboratory at the ETH Zürich University, and, The Swiss Federal Laboratory for Materials Science and Technology in Dübendorf have developed a wooden ‘nanogenerator’ that uses the energy from footfall to generate electricity.

The study published in Matter magazine shows how this innovative charging system consists of two thin layers of treated wood which are then layered with electrodes layered below and above.

As people walk across the wood floors, the electrodes vibrate through what’s known as the “Triboelectricity Effect”, which is also known as “Triboelectric Charging”.  In other words, friction generates electricity, leading to materials becoming electrically charged.

To clarify this effect let’s use a simple example:

Well, we might recognize the triboelectricity effect when, for example, a balloon becomes electrically charged after rubbing it against hair, or, when a moving car becomes charged thereby causing passengers to receive a shock when they touch the door handle.

Scientists experimenting with this new flooring system used one piece of wood coated with silicone that readily gains electrons upon contact. The other piece of wood was embedded with metal ions and organic molecules, more likely to lose electrons.

One prototype with a surface area slightly smaller than a letter-sized piece of paper successfully lit up a light bulb, turning footsteps into electricity, when a person walked on it.

According to the researchers involved, the process caused the timber to generate electricity that was 80 times more efficient compared to natural wood. An “A4” sized sheet of this flooring was sufficient to power both household LED lamps including calculators after being repeatedly stepped-on for a few seconds. 

A quote from the researchers stated: “Our focus was to demonstrate the possibility of modifying wood with relatively environmentally friendly procedures to make it “Triboelectric”,” said the study’s senior author Guido Panzarasa, who teaches at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich. 

He also added that “Wood is basically “Triboneutral”, which means that the wood has no real tendency to acquire, or, to lose electrons.” This limits the material’s ability to generate electricity,  said Guido, “so the challenge is making wood that is able to attract and lose electrons.”

 

Panzarasa mentioned that his long-term goal is to produce “wood with new properties for future sustainable smart buildings.” His team wants to improve their nanogenerator with environmentally friendly coatings that are easier to apply.

He added that “Spruce” presents favorable mechanical properties as they’re economically and easily available, potentially making it scalable on an industrial level. The next steps would include developing the treatment of the wood and making it more environmentally friendly. The new nanogenerator preserves the mechanical robustness and warm colors of the wood while remaining efficient, sustainable, and scalable. It may also absorb carbon dioxide from the environment during the material’s useful life, canceling out its contribution to climate change. The researchers envision these wood nanogenerators being used as green energy sources in ALL future sustainable smart buildings, aiding in mitigating climate change by sequestering CO2 over their lifespan.

Could you install such floors in your home?

Unfortunately, for now, these miracle floors have not yet been put into use.

Nevertheless, we are confident that in the short future, wood flooring will be capable of generating electricity and will become an indispensable product for many homeowners.

We at Olde Tyme Floor will definitely keep up with these modern trends, as we strongly support the use of all types of green energy sources.

Well, now you know that Olde Tyme Floor will always be ready to please you with a flooring installation, or, the resurfacing and refinishing of your hardwood floors at any time!

With over 42+ years of experience we have behind us, please give us an opportunity to remain at the highest level making our clients choose OTF over and over again!