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Implanted Battery-Free Direct-Current Micro-Power Supply from in Vivo Breath Energy Harvesting.

Jun LiLei KangYin LongHao WeiYanhao YuYizhan WangCarolina A FerreiraGuang YaoZiyi ZhangCorey CarlosLazarus GermanXiaoli LanWeibo CaiXudong Wang
Published in: ACS applied materials & interfaces (2018)
In vivo biomechanical energy harvesting by implanted nanogenerators (i-NGs) is promising for self-powered implantable medical devices (IMDs). One critical challenge to reach practical applications is the requirement of continuous direct-current (dc) output, while the low-frequency body activities typically generate discrete electrical pulses. Here, we developed an ultrastretchable micrograting i-NG system that could function as a battery-free dc micro-power supply. Packaged by a soft silicone elastomer with a cavity design, the i-NG exhibited an ultralow Young's modulus of ∼45 kPa and a high biocompatibility to soft biological tissues. The i-NG was implanted inside the abdominal cavity of Sprague Dawley adult rats and directly converted the slow diaphragm movement during normal respiration into a high-frequency alternative current electrical output, which was readily transmitted into a continuous ∼2.2 V dc output after being integrated with a basic electrical circuit. A light-emitting diode was constantly operated by the breath-driven i-NG without the aid of any battery component. This solely biomechanical energy-driven dc micro-power supply offers a promising solution for the development of self-powered IMDs.
Keyphrases
  • high frequency
  • dendritic cells
  • transcranial magnetic stimulation
  • light emitting
  • immune response
  • middle aged
  • intensive care unit