Graphene inductor harvests power-line radiation to run a battery-free temperature sensor

The team made graphene inductors in two forms, a flat spiral and a three-dimensional helix, and measured the voltage and current induced in them by a nearby power cable. A single graphene inductor with an inner steel core produced enough voltage to drive a Cockcroft-Walton circuit, which rectifies the signal and multiplies its voltage. The circuit charged three storage capacitors to the levels needed to operate a custom low-power temperature sensor, replacing the usual power-management chip and rechargeable battery. That lowered the sensor’s power consumption and extended its projected service life.

Researchers at the University of Arkansas and the University of Michigan have developed a graphene-based energy harvester that draws power from the magnetic field around an electrical power line to run a low-power temperature sensor. The team made graphene inductors in two forms, a flat spiral and a three-dimensional helix, and measured the voltage and current induced in them by a nearby power cable. A single graphene inductor with an inner steel core produced enough voltage to drive a Cockcroft-Walton circuit, which rectifies the signal and multiplies its voltage. The circuit charged three storage capacitors to the levels needed to operate a custom low-power temperature sensor, replacing the usual power-management chip and rechargeable battery. That lowered the sensor’s power consumption and extended its projected service life.

Read More Graphene-Info – Graphene industry portal