New nanotech generator could replace batteries in tiny devices

European researchers have developed a triboelectric nanogenerator that produces electricity by forcing water through tiny pores in specially engineered silicon, achieving a record 9% energy conversion efficiency. The device harnesses the same charge-transfer principle that creates static electricity, but uses water movement instead of solid contact to generate power. This breakthrough could enable battery-free sensors in applications like vehicle monitoring systems and smart textiles, where natural motion and pressure changes would drive water flow and produce electrical energy from otherwise wasted mechanical forces.