'Twistron' is a High Tech Yarn that could Generate Electricity by Fidgeting With It

A new study from researchers has created a new material that is repurposed to bring people energy and power, and it is via an odd item that most people would not think of, yarn. This invention is called “Twistron,” and it came from the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) and other contributors to the study, one that could generate electricity.

Creating something out of nothing is the goal these days, centering on sustainability and alternative sources, even from the most unimaginable things present in the world.

‘Twistron’ Yarn could Generate Electricity via Twisting and Intertwining

(Photo : Kier… in Sight on Unsplash)

According to the press release of the University of Texas at Dallas, its researchers and other collaborators have worked towards developing a new power generator which it dubbed “Twistron.” It was a continuation of a previously published research in 2017, and the previous one centers on twisting and untwisting to generate energy.

“Twistrons sewn into textiles can sense and harvest human motion; when deployed in salt water, twistrons can harvest energy from the movement of ocean waves; and twistrons can even charge supercapacitors,” said the team.

The latest version made this 2023, as published in the Nature journal, was constructed via the traditional method of wool and yarn materials.

“Plied yarns used in textiles typically are made with individual strands that are twisted in one direction and then are plied together in the opposite direction to make the final yarn. This heterochiral construction provides stability against untwisting,” said Dr. Ray Baughman, director of the Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute at UT Dallas.

This Yarn Could Power Using its Carbon Nanotube Fibers

The yarn created by the researchers uses “Carbon Nanotube Fibers” which is its key material in generating power and transforming it as electricity. In this new version, the team intertwined three individual strands of the carbon nanotube twistrons to make a yarn.

The old version centers on stretching, releasing, twisting, or untwisting the material, one that relies on its elasticity and durability.

Power Generators Out of Everyday Things

Imagine a place where people use their everyday things to power their needs like appliances at home, charging one’s devices including phones, laptops, tablets, and others, or for the office. One company called Heliatek wants to integrate a thin, clear, solar film for buildings that could absorb the sunlight and use it for its electricity.

Another example would be the new material from technology experts that could capture body movements on a shirt or jacket, and use it to create energy from kinetic actions. Humans are used to moving, especially when outside, as they go on to browse places, exercise, stroll, and do other activities that could get them and electricity moving.

With the many innovations available in the world, alternative sources of energy allow everyone to tap into sustainable power and enjoy the modern marvels made by humans. In this latest research, they can find it in an unimaginable place, and it is via a high-tech yarn where its twisting and intertwining could help in generating electricity for use.