JP2024139640A - Systems, Apparatuses, and Methods - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] An object of the present invention is to provide a system for generating electricity using a medium containing a colloidal substance. [Solution] The system includes a first conductive part and a second conductive part, a medium, and a functional part, the first conductive part and the functional part are connected, the second conductive part and the functional part are connected, the first conductive part is in contact with the medium, the second conductive part is in contact with the medium, the first conductive part and the second conductive part are not in contact with each other, and the medium contains a colloidal substance. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

Application for application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act filed. Publicly exhibited at TOWARDS THE FUTURE by Tripod Design Co., Ltd. on March 28, 2022. Publicly exhibited at the international symposium RETURN TO NATURE by Tripod Design Co., Ltd. on April 26, 2022. Publicly exhibited at the international symposium SPECIAL DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY by Tripod Design Co., Ltd. on October 11, 2022. Published on October 25, 2022 by Tripod Design Co., Ltd. on its website (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=555244779935476&set=pcb.555250793268208). Published on October 25, 2022 by Tripod Design Co., Ltd. on its website (https://www.facebook.com/FutureBrainLab/posts/pfbid028LqTBqhkhpBfT1R1kXZDLbTKWcbAevwYXD9TGPvcjuio4RG9XuXrnMmcr3HrZePVl). Released on October 25, 2022 by Sensing Net Co., Ltd. via website posting (https://www.facebook.com/sensingnet/posts/pfbid02a64nGvCEJa5avZESYxbWRSthgnwB6NBkYjF6YKLKjBjKKhvZek7UVdiycU4XNbNNl). Released at CES 2023 exhibition by Tripod Design Co., Ltd. from January 5 to 8, 2023. The videos were published on the website of Tripod Design Co., Ltd. on January 6th, 2023, January 7th, 2023, January 8th, 2023, January 10th, 2023, and January 13th, 2023 (https://www.facebook.com/tripoddesign/videos/569536417922835, etc.).

Application for application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act has been made. The invention was published on the website of ArkEdge Space Co., Ltd. on January 7, 2023 and January 8, 2023 (https://twitter.com/ArkEdgeSpace/status/1611578471784022017?cxt=HHwWgoDUpZyFvd0sAAAA, etc.). It was published on Tripod Design Co., Ltd.'s website on January 10, 2023 (https://www.facebook.com/FutureBrainLab/posts/pfbid02vq1pS4xeTMqWjwXMUXCMiRy42ErJRHmWRo4RDSiFpsGM6PbFL42krG58epAifGnNl). On January 10, 2023, SensingNet Inc. published the information on its website (https://www.facebook.com/sensingnet/posts/pfbid0xmB7UfcTAKicnDwnZW9A39CkRFoyP6nGnYAckS1vp2Eu5hFkqL2NjeatLfphkeK9l). On January 13, 2023, Nippon Television Network Corporation published the information on its website (https://twitter.com/ntv_rd/status/1613865963929362433?cxt=HHwWgoDT8eSizeUsAAAA). It was published on January 17, 2023 by Dempa Shimbun Co., Ltd. via posting on its website (https://dempa-digital.com/article/394556?fbclid=IwAR3liD1_oVaiio6SMpxE4gu4CxMXxfGwCzXynODu4XMUFjL6WTwplGVbkY4). It was published on the website of Tripod Design Co., Ltd. on January 17, 2023 (https://www.facebook.com/tripoddesign/posts/pfbid02M6BvD8u5cH8pXCaz4hhsakx7w966Fn1UKQT27Rb3kuNrYJvYbNNM3qtMXRqp4a97l, etc.).

Application for application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act has been filed. Published on the website of Mynavi Co., Ltd. on January 25, 2023 (https://news.mynavi.jp/techplus/article/20230125-2574082/?fbclid=IwAR36Dnc4S_uR4S73U--SQS2aVhSh-NFEe4FZVBq3aeV-CAMlbbHydmCifVc). Published on YouTube by BuzzFeed Japan Co., Ltd. on March 12, 2023 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhgDwB5NViQ). Published on March 13, 2023 by BuzzFeed Japan Co., Ltd. (https://www.huffingtonpost.jp/entry/story_jp_64099123e4b01ea51224a6a3). Published on March 14, 2023 by Tripod Design Co., Ltd. (https://www.facebook.com/tripoddesign/posts/pfbid0nm3tarpXpfM1gWTiyQXkPHkZttSTehstY7pP7gj5FZG8GpR6M2ezRSMuio9zYULvl and others). It was published on Tripod Design Co., Ltd.'s website on March 14, 2023 (https://www.facebook.com/FutureBrainLab/posts/pfbid025gxapHJdkHR4ohjstteugSmefRFWUYXE6DEABYh33QTq43YeN4Cejucj3pfWoutl). The information was published on SensingNet Inc.'s website on March 14, 2023 (https://www.facebook.com/sensingnet/posts/pfbid0chDMYdeUbdThcZpJFzvbiRxHvvcjV6h4F6rKCn7Tf8zrokrWyjSoKxkwCfGvkKuyl).

The present invention relates to a system, an apparatus, and a method.

There are devices (i.e. batteries) that use two different metals as electrodes and are immersed in an electrolyte, causing an oxidation or reduction reaction at each electrode, creating a path for electrons to flow, such as Voltaic cells and Daniell cells.

The liquid used as the electrolyte in batteries can have adverse effects on the human body and the environment, such as the risk of chemical burns, fire or explosion, or the generation of toxic gases, making the electrolyte extremely difficult to handle. In addition, when commercializing the product, care must be taken to prevent leakage, which increases costs.

In recent years, energy harvesting technology, which converts minute energies such as visible light, heat, radio waves, or the decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms into electricity, has been attracting attention, and research is being conducted to put independent power sources into practical use using energy harvesting technology.

There is also a system known that generates electricity using familiar materials such as soil and water as a medium (see Patent Document 1). With this system, electricity can be obtained by bringing a conductive part into contact with a medium such as soil or water.

International Publication No. 2021/045236

The object of the present invention is to provide a system for generating electricity using a medium containing a colloidal material.

According to the present invention, the above object is achieved by:
[1] A system comprising a first conductive part and a second conductive part, a medium, and a functional part, the first conductive part and the functional part are connected, the second conductive part and the functional part are connected, the first conductive part is in contact with the medium, the second conductive part is in contact with the medium, the first conductive part and the second conductive part are not in contact with each other, and the medium contains a colloidal substance;
[2] The system according to [1], wherein the colloidal material contains a superabsorbent polymer, agar, gelatin, and/or starch;
[3] The system according to [1] or [2], wherein the medium contains water, seawater, and/or moist sand or soil;
[4] A device comprising a first conductive portion, a second conductive portion, and a medium, wherein the first conductive portion is in contact with the medium, the second conductive portion is in contact with the medium, the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion are not in contact with each other, and the medium contains a colloidal substance;
[5] The device according to [4], in which the first conductive part and the second conductive part are connected to a functional part to generate electricity and cause the functional part to function;
[6] A method for generating electricity by connecting the first conductive part and the second conductive part to a functional part, in a device comprising a first conductive part, a second conductive part, and a medium, the first conductive part being in contact with the medium, the second conductive part being in contact with the medium, the first conductive part and the second conductive part being in non-contact with each other, and the medium containing a colloidal substance, thereby causing the functional part to function;
This can be achieved by:

The present invention provides a system that generates electricity using a medium containing a colloidal substance.

1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a power conversion unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing changes in voltage of devices of an example and a comparative example according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings. The following description of the effects is one aspect of the effects of the embodiment of the present invention, and is not limited to those described here.

Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figures 1 (A) to (D), the system according to the embodiment of the present invention is composed of a first conductive part 1, a second conductive part 2, a functional part 3, and a medium 4 (4a and 4b). The first conductive part 1 and the functional part 3, and the functional part 3 and the second conductive part 2 are electrically connected to each other. "Electrically connected" means, for example, that they are connected so that electricity can flow through them by a conductive conductor or the like.

A part or all of the first conductive part 1 is in contact with the medium 4. Also, a part or all of the second conductive part 2 is in contact with the medium 4. The first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not in contact with each other. "Not in contact" refers to, for example, a state in which the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not in direct contact with each other.

In FIG. 1(A), the medium 4 is constructed as a single unit by being physically continuous with a substance having the same composition or with the same material. In other words, in FIG. 1(A), the medium 4 in contact with the first conductive part 1 and the medium 4 in contact with the second conductive part 2 are substances having the same composition or with the same material, and the medium 4 is physically continuous and constructed as a single unit.

In FIG. 1(A), the medium 4 is housed in a container. The material of the container that houses the medium 4 is not particularly limited and can be designed as appropriate. For example, a wooden container, an acrylic container, etc. can be used.

The medium 4 contains a colloidal substance. Colloidal substances include gel-like substances, sol-like substances, and substances in an intermediate state between gel and sol. A gel is a colloid that uses a liquid as a dispersion medium and does not have fluidity. A sol is a colloid that uses a liquid as a dispersion medium and has fluidity. The dispersion medium may be an inorganic solvent such as water, or an organic solvent such as alcohol. A gel may be a swollen polymer with a three-dimensional network structure that is insoluble in the solvent. A sol may be an emulsion or a suspension. A gel-like substance is a substance that is in a gel state. A sol-like substance is a substance that is in a sol state.

Colloidal substances, such as gel-like substances and/or sol-like substances, may contain superabsorbent polymers, agar, gelatin, and/or starch. These substances may function as dispersoids in the colloidal substances. In addition, these substances are easily available and have a small environmental impact.

It can be said that gel and/or sol are intermediate material forms between liquid and solid. When generating electricity using liquid such as water or seawater as the medium 4, the resistance value between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 of the medium 4 is smaller than when generating electricity using solid such as sand or soil as the medium 4. When the resistance value is small, the amount of electricity generated per unit time is larger than when the resistance value is large, but the rate at which the first conductive part 1 and/or the second conductive part 2 deteriorates is faster. Gel-like substances and/or sol-like substances generally have a larger resistance value than the liquid that serves as the dispersion medium. In addition, gel-like substances and/or sol-like substances generally have a smaller resistance value than solids such as sand and soil. Therefore, by including a gel-like substance and/or sol-like substance in the medium 4, it is possible to change the resistance value between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 of the medium 4, and adjust the amount of electricity generated per unit time and the rate at which the first conductive part 1 and/or the second conductive part 2 deteriorate.

The resistance between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 of the medium 4 is preferably 0.001 kΩ or more, more preferably 0.01 kΩ or more, even more preferably 0.1 kΩ or more, even more preferably 1 kΩ or more, and particularly preferably 10 kΩ or more. Unlike batteries using a general electrolyte, the system according to the embodiment of the present invention is capable of functioning even if the resistance between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 of the medium 4 is large.

The medium 4 may contain at least a part of a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance, or may be entirely made of a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance. "Containing at least a part of a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance" means that the components of the medium 4 contain a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance. For example, the medium 4 may contain a mixture of liquid and a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance, or a mixture of solid and a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance. "Mixed" may mean that the entire material is mixed uniformly and forms a uniform material, or that the material is not mixed uniformly in parts and forms a non-uniform material.

When the medium 4 contains at least a portion of a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance, a portion or all of the first conductive part 1 may be in contact with the gel-like substance and/or the sol-like substance in the medium 4, or may not be in contact with the gel-like substance and/or the sol-like substance in the medium 4. Also, when the medium 4 contains at least a portion of a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance, a portion or all of the second conductive part 2 may be in contact with the gel-like substance and/or the sol-like substance in the medium 4, or may not be in contact with the gel-like substance and/or the sol-like substance in the medium 4.

When the medium 4 contains at least a portion of a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance, it is preferable that a portion or all of the first conductive part 1 is in contact with the gel-like substance and/or the sol-like substance in the medium 4. Also, when the medium 4 contains at least a portion of a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance, it is preferable that a portion or all of the second conductive part 2 is in contact with the gel-like substance and/or the sol-like substance in the medium 4.

Furthermore, when the medium 4 contains at least a portion of a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance, it is preferable that the entire first conductive part 1 is in contact with the gel-like substance and/or sol-like substance in the medium 4 on the surface where the first conductive part 1 contacts the medium 4. Also, when the medium 4 contains at least a portion of a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance, it is preferable that the entire second conductive part 2 is in contact with the gel-like substance and/or sol-like substance in the medium 4 on the surface where the second conductive part 2 contacts the medium 4.

The medium 4 may contain water, seawater, and/or sand or soil containing moisture. That is, the medium 4 may contain one or more substances selected from the group consisting of superabsorbent polymers, agar, gelatin, and starch, and one or more substances selected from the group consisting of water, seawater, sand containing moisture, and soil containing moisture. The one or more substances selected from the group consisting of superabsorbent polymers, agar, gelatin, and starch, and the one or more substances selected from the group consisting of water, seawater, sand containing moisture, and soil containing moisture may be uniformly mixed as a whole to form a uniform substance, or may be unevenly mixed, and may not be uniformly mixed in parts to form a heterogeneous substance.

When the medium 4 contains water, the electrolyte concentration of the water may be 1 mol/L or less, 0.6 mol/L or less, 0.1 mol/L or less, 0.01 mol/L or less, 0.001 mol/L or less, or even 0.0001 mol/L or less. Furthermore, the concentration of cations among the electrolytes contained in the water may be 0.00001 mol/L or less, 0.000001 mol/L or less, 0.0000001 mol/L or less, 0.00000001 mol/L or less, or even 0 mol/L.

The moisture content of the soil or sand is preferably 3% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, even more preferably 10% by mass or more, even more preferably 20% by mass or more, and particularly preferably 30% by mass or more. The moisture content of the soil or sand is preferably less than 100% by mass, more preferably 90% by mass or less, and even more preferably 80% by mass or less. Here, the moisture content refers to the mass of the moisture contained in the soil or sand divided by the sum of the mass of the moisture and the solid content of the soil or sand. For example, the mass of the soil containing water is measured, dried at 100°C or more for 3 minutes or more, and the mass after drying is measured to determine the mass of the moisture contained in the soil, and this can be divided by the mass of the soil containing water before drying to calculate the moisture content of the soil.

The content of the gel-like substance and/or sol-like substance contained in the medium 4 (percentage of (volume of gel-like substance and/or sol-like substance contained in the medium 4)/(volume of the medium 4)) is preferably 50% by volume or more, more preferably 70% by volume or more, and even more preferably 90% by volume or more. The content of the gel-like substance contained in the medium 4 may be 100% by volume or less, 98% by volume or less, or 95% by volume or less. Here, the "volume of the gel-like substance and/or sol-like substance contained in the medium 4" is the "volume of the medium 4" minus the sum of the "volume of the liquid contained in the medium 4" and the "volume of the solid contained in the medium 4". When the entire medium 4 is in a gel or sol state, the content of the gel-like substance or sol-like substance contained in the medium 4 is 100% by volume.

The ratio of the dispersion medium and dispersoid in the gel-like substance and/or sol-like substance contained in the medium 4 is not particularly limited, and can be designed appropriately depending on the type of dispersion medium and dispersoid, the desired resistance value when generating electricity, etc.

As shown in FIG. 1(B), in the system according to the embodiment of the present invention, the medium 4a with which the first conductive portion 1 comes into contact and the medium 4b with which the second conductive portion 2 comes into contact may be in contact. In this case, the medium 4a with which the first conductive portion 1 comes into contact and the medium 4b with which the second conductive portion 2 comes into contact are substances having different compositions or different materials. The medium 4a and the medium 4b may contain the same type of material but with different amounts of each material, or may contain different types of materials or be different materials.

In this case, it is sufficient that at least one of medium 4a and medium 4b contains a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance. In other words, medium 4a and/or medium 4b contain a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance. Of medium 4a and medium 4b, medium 4 that does not contain a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance may contain water, seawater, and/or sand or soil containing moisture. Furthermore, medium 4a and/or medium 4b that contains a gel-like substance and/or a sol-like substance may also contain water, seawater, and/or sand or soil containing moisture.

In addition, when medium 4a and medium 4b are substances having different compositions or made of different materials, first conductive part 1 and second conductive part 2 may be made of the same material.

In FIG. 1(B), medium 4a and medium 4b are housed in a container. The material of the container for housing medium 4a and medium 4b is not particularly limited and can be designed as appropriate. For example, a wooden container, an acrylic container, etc. can be used.

Alternatively, although not shown, the medium 4 provided in the system may be composed of three or more substances having different compositions or different materials. In that case, it is preferable that the medium 4a with which the first conductive part 1 contacts and the medium 4b with which the second conductive part 2 contacts are physically connected via a medium made of a substance having a different composition or a different material other than the medium 4a and the medium 4b.

Alternatively, the medium 4 provided in the system may be a medium 4 in contact with the first conductive part 1 and a medium 4 in contact with the second conductive part 2, each of which is made of a substance having the same composition or made of the same material, although this is not shown in the figure, and the medium 4 in contact with the first conductive part 1 and the medium 4 in contact with the second conductive part 2 may be physically connected via a medium made of a substance having a different composition or made of a different material.

In other words, in the system, the medium 4 may be configured to allow the movement of cations, anions, and/or electrons between the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 via the medium. The medium 4 may also be contained in a container.

In addition, the system according to the embodiment of the present invention may have a plurality of pairs of first conductive parts 1 and second conductive parts 2 (hereinafter referred to as "pairs of conductive parts") connected in series, as shown in Fig. 1(C). In Fig. 1(C), the system is composed of n first conductive parts 1 ( ₁₁ , ..., _1k , 1k ₊₁ , ..., _1n ), n second conductive parts 2 ( ₂₁ , ..., _2k , _2k+1 , ..., _2n ), a functional part 3, and n media 4 ( ₄₁ , ..., _4k , _4k+1 , ..., _4n ). Here, n represents any integer of 2 or more, and k represents an integer of 1 or more and less than n.

1C , among the pair of adjacent conductive parts, the second conductive part 2 _k and the first conductive part 1 _k+1 are electrically connected to each other, thereby connecting the pair of adjacent conductive parts in series. Hereinafter, the pair of conductive parts connected in series will be referred to as a "pair of conductive parts connected in series."

1C , a first conductive portion _1-1 and a second conductive portion 2- _n , which are at the ends of a pair of conductive portions connected in series, are each electrically connected to a functional portion 3. “Electrically connected” means, for example, being connected in a conductive manner by a conductive wire or the like.

The more pairs of conductive parts connected in series, the higher the voltage applied to the functional part 3.

As shown in FIG. 1(C), a part or all of the first conductive portion 1 of each pair of conductive portions is in contact with the medium 4. Furthermore, a part or all of the second conductive portion 2 of each pair of conductive portions is in contact with the medium 4. And the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of each pair of conductive portions are not in contact with each other. "Not in contact" refers to a state in which the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 are not in direct contact with each other, for example.

In FIG. 1C, the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of each conductive portion pair are in contact with the same medium 4. The first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of each conductive portion pair are in contact with separate media 4. That is, the first conductive portion 1 ₁ and the second conductive portion 2 ₁ are in contact with the medium 4 ₁ , the first conductive portion 1 k and the second conductive portion 2 _k are in contact with the medium 4 _k , the first conductive portion 1 _{k +1} and the second conductive portion 2 _k+1 are in contact with the medium 4 _k+1 , and the first conductive portion 1 _n and the second conductive portion 2 _n are in contact with the medium 4 _n . The medium 4 ₁ , the medium 4 _k , the medium 4 _k+1 , and the medium 4 _n are each contained in a different container and are in a non-contact state. The material of the container or the like that contains the medium 4 is not particularly limited. For example, a wooden container, an acrylic container, or the like can be used.

Although not shown, the medium 4 with which the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of each conductive portion pair are in contact may not be separated, but may be physically continuous and formed as a single unit.

Although not shown, as shown in FIG. 1(B), the medium 4a with which the first conductive portion 1 contacts and the medium 4b with which the second conductive portion 2 contacts of each pair of conductive portions may be substances having different compositions or different materials, and the medium 4a with which the first conductive portion 1 contacts and the medium 4b with which the second conductive portion 2 contacts of each pair of conductive portions may be in contact. In this case, the combination of compositions of the media 4 with which each pair of conductive portions contacts may be the same as or different from the combination of compositions of the media 4 with which other pairs of conductive portions contact.

Alternatively, although not shown, the medium 4 may be composed of three or more substances having different compositions or different materials. In that case, it is preferable that the medium 4a with which the first conductive portion 1 contacts and the medium 4b with which the second conductive portion 2 contacts are physically connected via a medium made of a substance having a different composition or a different material other than the medium 4a and the medium 4b.

Alternatively, although not shown, the medium 4 in contact with the first conductive part 1 and the medium 4 in contact with the second conductive part 2 may be made of the same substance or material having the same composition, and the medium 4 in contact with the first conductive part 1 and the medium 4 in contact with the second conductive part 2 may be physically connected via a medium made of a substance having a different composition or made of a different material.

In other words, in the system, the medium 4 may be configured to allow the movement of cations, anions, and/or electrons between the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 via the medium. The medium 4 may also be contained in a container.

Furthermore, the system according to the embodiment of the present invention may have a plurality of pairs of first conductive portions 1 and second conductive portions 2 connected in parallel as shown in Fig. 1(D). In Fig. 1(D), the system is composed of m first conductive portions 1 ( ₁₁ , _... , _1j , 1j+1, ..., _1m ), m second conductive portions 2 ( ₂₁ , ..., _2j , _2j+1 , ..., _2m ), a functional portion 3, and m media 4 ( ₄₁ , ..., _4j , _4j+1 , ..., _4m ). Here, m represents any integer of 2 or more, and j represents an integer of 1 or more and less than m.

1D , among the pairs of adjacent conductive parts, the first conductive part _1j and the first conductive part _1j+1 are electrically connected, and the second conductive part _2j and the second conductive part _2j+1 are electrically connected, thereby connecting the pairs of adjacent conductive parts in parallel. Hereinafter, the pairs of conductive parts connected in parallel will be referred to as "pairs of conductive parts connected in parallel."

1D , a first conductive portion _1m and a second conductive portion _2m , which are at the ends of a pair of conductive portions connected in parallel, are each electrically connected to a functional portion 3. “Electrically connected” means, for example, connected in a conductive manner by a conductive wire or the like so as to be electrically conductive.

The greater the number of pairs of conductive parts connected in parallel, the greater the current supplied to the functional part 3. In other words, the greater the area in which the conductive parts contact the medium 4, the greater the current supplied to the functional part 3.

The first conductive parts 1 and the second conductive parts 2 may be connected in parallel without being paired. In other words, the first conductive parts 1 and the second conductive parts 2 may be connected to each other with a different number of first conductive parts 1 and second conductive parts 2. For example, three first conductive parts 1 and two second conductive parts 2 may be connected in parallel.

Even if the number of first conductive parts 1 and second conductive parts 2 are different, the greater the number of conductive parts connected in parallel, the greater the current supplied to the functional part 3. In other words, the greater the area of contact between the conductive part and the medium 4, the greater the current supplied to the functional part 3.

As shown in FIG. 1(D), a part or all of the first conductive portion 1 of each pair of conductive portions is in contact with the medium 4. Furthermore, a part or all of the second conductive portion 2 of each pair of conductive portions is in contact with the medium 4. And the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of each pair of conductive portions are not in contact with each other. "Not in contact" refers to, for example, a state in which the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 are not in direct contact with each other.

In FIG. 1D, the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of each conductive portion pair are in contact with the same medium 4. The media 4 to which the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of each conductive portion pair are in contact are separate. That is, the first conductive portion 1 ₁ and the second conductive portion 2 ₁ are in contact with the medium 4 ₁ , the first conductive portion 1 _j and the second conductive portion 2 _j are in contact with the medium 4 _j , the first conductive portion 1 _j+1 and the second conductive portion 2 _j+ 1 are in contact with the medium 4 _j+1 , and the first conductive portion 1 _m and the second conductive portion 2 _m are in contact with the medium 4 _m . The medium 4 ₁ , the medium 4 _j , the medium 4 _j+1 , and the medium 4 _m are each contained in a different container and are in a non-contact state. The material of the container or the like that contains the medium 4 is not particularly limited. For example, a wooden container, an acrylic container, or the like can be used.

Although not shown, the medium 4 with which the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of each conductive portion pair are in contact may not be separated, but may be physically continuous and formed as a single unit.

Although not shown, as shown in FIG. 1(B), the medium 4a with which the first conductive portion 1 contacts and the medium 4b with which the second conductive portion 2 contacts of each pair of conductive portions may be substances having different compositions or different materials, and the medium 4a with which the first conductive portion 1 contacts and the medium 4b with which the second conductive portion 2 contacts of each pair of conductive portions may be in contact. In this case, the combination of compositions of the media 4 with which each pair of conductive portions contacts may be the same as or different from the combination of compositions of the media 4 with which other pairs of conductive portions contact.

Alternatively, although not shown, the medium 4 may be composed of three or more substances having different compositions or different materials. In that case, it is preferable that the medium 4a with which the first conductive portion 1 contacts and the medium 4b with which the second conductive portion 2 contacts are physically connected via a medium made of a substance having a different composition or a different material other than the medium 4a and the medium 4b.

Alternatively, although not shown, the medium 4 in contact with the first conductive part 1 and the medium 4 in contact with the second conductive part 2 may be a substance having the same composition, and the medium 4 in contact with the first conductive part 1 and the medium 4 in contact with the second conductive part 2 may be physically connected via a medium made of a substance having a different composition or a different material.

In other words, in the system, the medium 4 may be configured to allow the movement of cations, anions, and/or electrons between the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 via the medium. The medium 4 may also be contained in a container.

In addition, the system according to the embodiment of the present invention may have multiple conductive parts connected in parallel as described above, and may have multiple conductive parts connected in series. Hereinafter, in a system in which parallel and series connections are mixed, a parallel connection of multiple conductive parts is referred to as a parallel unit. Regarding the manner in which parallel units are connected in series, the descriptions in Figures 1(C) and (D) may be adopted to the extent necessary. The greater the number of parallel units connected in series, the higher the voltage applied to the functional unit 3.

The number of conductive parts connected in parallel in a parallel unit is not particularly limited and can be designed as appropriate. For example, the number of conductive parts connected in parallel in a parallel unit may be 6, 8, or 20.

The number of parallel units connected in series is not particularly limited and can be designed as appropriate. For example, the number of parallel units connected in series may be 3, 10, or 50.

In the system according to the embodiment of the present invention, when the conductive parts are cylindrical or prismatic, it is preferable that the paired conductive parts (first conductive part 1 and second conductive part 2) are arranged so that the length directions of the conductive parts are approximately parallel. When the conductive parts are sheet-shaped, it is preferable that the paired conductive parts (first conductive part 1 and second conductive part 2) are arranged so that the planes of the conductive parts are approximately parallel.

The distance between the position where the first conductive part 1 contacts the medium 4 and the position where the second conductive part 2 contacts the medium 4, i.e., the distance between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2, can be designed appropriately depending on the type of the first conductive part 1, the second conductive part 2, and/or the medium 4, and the amount of power to be generated.

The distance between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 is, for example, preferably 20 mm or less, more preferably 10 mm or less, and even more preferably 5 mm or less. The distance between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 is, for example, preferably 0.1 mm or more, more preferably 0.5 mm or more, and even more preferably 1 mm or more.

By disposing the medium 4 between the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2, the distance between the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 may be set within the above range. In addition, by disposing the medium 4 between the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2, contact between the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 can be prevented.

The following describes the first conductive part 1, the second conductive part 2, and the functional part 3 that are included in the system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

It is preferable that both the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are conductive. Here, examples of materials for the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 include metals, conductive polymers, carbon, etc. The shapes of the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not particularly limited. The shapes of the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 may be rectangular, cylindrical (rod-shaped), pyramidal, conical, plate-shaped, sheet-shaped, film-shaped, or string-shaped, and are not limited to any particular shape.

The metal used for the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 can be appropriately selected from, for example, silver, copper, gold, aluminum, magnesium, zinc, nickel, platinum, tin, titanium, stainless steel, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, or oxides of the other metals mentioned above. In addition, a specified metal may be coated with a metal different from the specified metal or a material having another conductivity.

The materials of the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 may be different or the same.

When the polarization resistance of at least one of the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 is measured using an AC impedance method, it is preferable that the measured value is 100 Ω or more.

Here, for example, the conductive part where the current starts can be defined as the first conductive part 1, and the conductive part where the current ends can be defined as the second conductive part 2. Which conductive part functions as the first conductive part 1 is determined by the material of the conductive part or the environment surrounding the conductive part (e.g., temperature, humidity, air pressure, pH, etc.). A chemical reaction takes place at the interface between the first conductive part 1 or the second conductive part 2 and the medium 4, generating free electrons in the conductive part.

For example, if different metals are used for the first conductive section 1 and the second conductive section 2, the metal with the larger standard electrode potential becomes the first conductive section 1, and the metal with the smaller standard electrode potential becomes the second conductive section 2. In this case, electrons move from the second conductive section 2 to the functional section 3, and electrons move from the functional section 3 to the first conductive section 1. In other words, a current flows from the first conductive section 1 to the second conductive section 2 via the functional section 3.

For example, in the second conductive part 2, the metal that constitutes the conductive part dissolves into the medium 4 as positive ions, generating free electrons. Also, for example, in the second conductive part 2, negative ions or water molecules contained in the medium 4 are oxidized, generating free electrons. Also, for example, in the first conductive part 1, positive ions or water molecules in the medium 4 react with the free electrons and are electrically neutralized or reduced. Also, for example, in the first conductive part 1, oxygen molecules contained in the air react with the free electrons and are electrically reduced.

The level of standard electrode potential is determined by comparing the relative values (relative values) of the standard electrode potentials of substances, and is not compared using the absolute values of the standard electrode potential. For example, when comparing substance A with a standard electrode potential of -5 V and substance B with a standard electrode potential of +2 V, the standard electrode potential of substance A is low and the standard electrode potential of substance B is high.

On the other hand, even if the same metal is used for the conductive parts, if the conditions of the surrounding environment of the conductive parts, such as temperature, humidity, air pressure, pH, type of medium 4, and the area where the medium 4 is in contact with the conductive parts, are different between the two conductive parts, one of the conductive parts functions as the first conductive part 1 and the other conductive part functions as the second conductive part 2, and a current flows. For example, even if the medium 4 that one conductive part contacts and the medium 4 that the other conductive part contacts are the same, if the areas where the medium 4 and the conductive parts are in contact are different, one conductive part functions as the first conductive part 1 and the other conductive part functions as the second conductive part 2. Therefore, if the conditions of the surrounding temperature, humidity, air pressure, pH, type of medium 4, and area where the medium 4 is in contact with the conductive parts change, what functioned as the first conductive part 1 may function as the second conductive part 2, and what functioned as the second conductive part 2 may function as the first conductive part 1.

When the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are made of different materials, examples of the material used for the conductive part with the lower standard electrode potential include zinc, lead, cadmium, magnesium, carbon-based materials, conductive polymers (polythiophene, polyaniline, polypyrrole, polyacetylene, polyphenylene vinylene, PEDOT, etc.), metals (lithium, tin, aluminum, zirconium, titanium, etc.) and their alloys, and metal oxides (titanium oxide, lithium-titanium oxide, silicon oxide, etc.). The standard electrode potential of the material used for the conductive part with the lower standard electrode potential is preferably -200 mV or less, more preferably -500 mV or less, and even more preferably -700 mV or less. The standard electrode potential of the material used for the conductive part with the lower standard electrode potential is preferably -3.5 V or more, more preferably -2.5 V or more, and even more preferably -1.5 V or more.

When the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are made of different materials, examples of the material used in the conductive part with the higher standard electrode potential include manganese oxide, silver oxide, oxygen, ozone, lead oxide, nickel oxide, nickel hydroxide, nickel oxyhydroxide, copper oxide, chromium oxide, iron oxide, alkali metals or alkaline earth metals and other metals (cobalt, nickel, manganese, iron, magnesium, aluminum, etc.), and carbon-based materials. The standard electrode potential of the material used in the conductive part with the higher standard electrode potential is preferably -300 mV or more, more preferably 0 mV or more, and even more preferably +500 mV or more. The standard electrode potential of the material used in the conductive part with the higher standard electrode potential is preferably 3.5 V or less, more preferably 2.5 V or less, and even more preferably 1.5 V or less.

When the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are made of the same material, the conductive parts can be made of the materials exemplified above as being used for the conductive part with the lower standard electrode potential and the conductive part with the higher standard electrode potential.

The difference in standard electrode potential between the conductive parts is preferably 200 mV or more, more preferably 500 mV or more, and even more preferably 700 mV or more.

The electromotive force generated between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 is preferably 1.8 V or less, more preferably 0.9 V or less, even more preferably 0.35 V or less, and particularly preferably 0.25 V or less. In addition, the electromotive force generated between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 is preferably 5 mV or more.

The functional unit 3 refers to, for example, a unit that executes a predetermined function by passing electricity through it. The functional unit 3 can include a power consumption unit that consumes power to perform a predetermined function, a power storage unit that stores electricity generated in the conductive unit, an output voltage conversion unit that converts the output voltage such as a boost circuit or a step-down circuit, a control unit such as a microcomputer that controls the circuit, and a communication unit that can wirelessly communicate with other devices. As the power consumption unit, for example, any of a light source such as an incandescent light bulb or a light-emitting diode, a heating element that generates heat, a sound generating unit that generates sound, or a transmitter that generates a signal can be used. The power storage unit may be included in the step-up circuit or step-down circuit. The control unit such as a microcomputer can control the circuit to release the electricity stored in the power storage unit under predetermined conditions. The released electricity is consumed by the power consumption unit. In addition, since the control unit such as a microcomputer also consumes a small amount of power, it can be controlled to release the stored electricity while securing the power necessary to start the control unit.

The functional unit 3 may include any one of a power consumption unit, a power storage unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit, or may be configured by combining any two or more of a power consumption unit, a power storage unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit. The functional unit 3 may also be configured by integrating any two or more of a power consumption unit, a power storage unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit, or may be configured by electrically connecting any one of a power consumption unit, a power storage unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit, but separately.

The input impedance in the functional unit 3 may be 0.001 kΩ or more, 0.01 kΩ or more, or 0.1 kΩ or more.

There is no particular limit to the value of the input impedance in the functional unit 3, but if the input impedance is 1 kΩ or more, the input impedance in the functional unit 3 may have a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic (I-V characteristic). A nonlinear current-voltage characteristic is a characteristic in which the voltage value and the current value are not proportional when a voltage is applied to a resistor. For example, this refers to a case in which as the voltage increases, the impedance increases and the rate at which the current value increases decreases.

Generally, in an electric circuit, the power generated by a battery is consumed by the battery's internal resistance and external resistance. The power generated by the battery undergoes a voltage drop due to the internal resistance, so the voltage applied to the external resistance is lower than the electromotive force of the battery. The smaller the internal resistance, the higher the voltage applied to the external resistance.

In the system of the present invention, the electromotive force generated between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 corresponds to the electromotive force of the battery, the resistance value between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 of the medium 4 corresponds to the internal resistance, and the input impedance in the functional part 3 corresponds to the external resistance. When the resistance value between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 of the medium 4 is sufficiently larger than the input impedance of the functional part 3, the output voltage tends to be lower when the functional part 3 having a linear current-voltage characteristic is used. However, when the functional part 3 having a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic is used, the degree to which the current value increases decreases as the voltage value applied to the functional part 3 increases, and the input impedance of the functional part 3 increases. Therefore, when the functional part 3 having a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic is used, the voltage applied to the functional part 3 can be increased and the power consumption of the functional part 3 also increases compared to when the functional part 3 having a linear current-voltage characteristic is used.

In the system of the present invention, the resistance between the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of the medium 4 varies depending on the type of medium 4 and the distance between the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2. The resistance between the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of the medium 4 changes over time, and the input impedance of the functional portion 3 has a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic, thereby improving the efficiency of power transmission. Therefore, the system of the present invention can function even if the electromotive force is small.

On the other hand, if the input impedance of the functional unit 3 is less than 1 kΩ, the input impedance of the functional unit 3 may have a linear current-voltage characteristic (I-V characteristic). A linear current-voltage characteristic refers to, for example, a case in which, in a voltage change when a current is passed through the functional unit 3, the voltage value increases as the current value increases, and the voltage is proportional to the current.

If the resistance between the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 of the medium 4 is 1 kΩ or more, the input impedance in the functional portion 3 may be 1 kΩ or more.

The ratio of the resistance between the first conductive section 1 and the second conductive section 2 of the medium 4 to the input impedance in the functional section 3 (resistance between the first conductive section 1 and the second conductive section 2 of the medium 4/input impedance in the functional section 3) is preferably 1/100 or more, more preferably 1/10 or more, and even more preferably 1/1 or more.

The resistance value between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 of the medium 4 can be regarded as the output impedance of the side that outputs the power, and the input impedance in the functional part 3 can be regarded as the load impedance of the side that receives the power. By making the output impedance and the load impedance approximately the same, that is, by performing impedance matching, the minute electric power generated between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 can be transmitted to the functional part more efficiently.

The functional unit 3 preferably has a function of converting the output impedance. This makes it possible to control the effect on the input signal of the functional unit 3. The functional unit 3 may also have a power storage unit, which stores the charge supplied from the first conductive unit 1 and/or the second conductive unit 2. The control unit can perform control so as to release the stored charge in a time shorter than the time required to store the charge.

The lower limit of the operating voltage of the functional unit 3 is preferably 0.9 V or less. It is more preferable that it operates at 0.35 V or less, and even more preferable that it operates at 20 mV or less.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a power conversion unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 (A) is a circuit diagram of a boost circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. The boost circuit or the step-down circuit is an example of a functional unit 3, and includes a power storage unit.

As shown in the figure, an inductor L, a diode D, a transistor Tr, and a capacitor C are electrically connected. For example, an input terminal A1 is connected to a first conductive portion 1, and an input terminal A2 is connected to a second conductive portion 2. An output terminal B1 and an output terminal B2 are connected to a power consumption portion, a control portion, and the like. The control portion may be connected between the boost circuit and the first conductive portion 1 and the second conductive portion 2 so as to be in parallel with the boost circuit. When the transistor Tr is ON, when an input voltage V _IN is applied, energy is stored in the inductor L. The input voltage V _IN is the potential difference between the connection point P ₁ and the connection point P _2. When the transistor Tr is OFF, the energy stored in the inductor L is added to the electric energy derived from the input voltage V _IN , and the resulting voltage is output via the diode D. As a result, the output voltage V _OUT, which is the potential difference between the connection point P ₁ and the connection point P _2, is higher than the input voltage V _IN . The boost circuit is based on the premise that the input voltage V _IN is lower than a predetermined voltage, and may be such that boost control is not performed at a voltage higher than the predetermined voltage. The input voltage V _IN of the boost circuit is preferably 5 mV or more. The ON/OFF of the transistor Tr is controlled by the control unit.

Figure 2 (B) is a circuit diagram of a step-down circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a transistor Tr, an inductor L, a diode D, and a capacitor C are electrically connected. For example, an input terminal A1 is connected to a first conductive part 1, and an input terminal A2 is connected to a second conductive part 2. An output terminal B1 and an output terminal B2 are connected to a power consumption part, a control part, etc. The control part may be connected between the step-down circuit and the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 so as to be in parallel with the step-down circuit.

When the transistor Tr is ON, electrical energy is stored in the inductor L. The input voltage V _IN is the potential difference between the connection points P ₁₁ and P ₁₂ , and the output voltage V _OUT is the potential difference between the connection points P ₁₃ and P _14. In this case, the input voltage V _IN is almost equal to the output voltage V _OUT . When the transistor Tr is OFF, the potential of the connection point P ₁₅ at the left end of the inductor L becomes lower than the potential of the connection point P ₁₄ , so that the output voltage V _OUT becomes a lower voltage. The step-down circuit is premised on the input voltage V _IN being higher than a predetermined voltage, and may be such that step-down control is not performed at a voltage lower than the predetermined voltage. The ON/OFF of the transistor Tr is controlled by the control unit.

The system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a first conductive part 1, a second conductive part 2, and a medium 4, in which the first conductive part 1 is in contact with the medium 4, the second conductive part 2 is in contact with the medium 4, the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not in contact with each other, and the medium 4 contains a colloidal substance. The system can be constructed by connecting the device to the functional part 3.

In addition, by connecting a device comprising a first conductive part 1, a second conductive part 2, and a medium 4, in which the first conductive part 1 is in contact with the medium 4, the second conductive part 2 is in contact with the medium 4, the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 are not in contact with each other, and the medium 4 contains a colloidal substance, to a functional part 3, it becomes possible to generate electricity from the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2. Furthermore, the functional part 3 can function using the power generated from the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2. In other words, the power obtained by utilizing the potential difference between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 is supplied to the functional part 3. The functional part 3 can then use the power to execute a predetermined function.

In this way, the system includes a first conductive part and a second conductive part, a medium, and a functional part, the first conductive part and the functional part are connected, the second conductive part and the functional part are connected, the first conductive part is in contact with the medium, the second conductive part is in contact with the medium, the first conductive part and the second conductive part are not in contact with each other, and the medium contains a colloidal substance, thereby providing a system that generates electricity using a medium containing a colloidal substance.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way.

Example 1
The test was performed at room temperature and normal pressure. In order to configure a system including a first conductive part 1, a second conductive part 2, a functional part 3, and a medium 4 as shown in Fig. 1 (A), a carbon sheet-like member (approximately 1 mm thick, 10 cm x 10 cm, manufactured by Nippon Tokushu Toryo Co., Ltd., carbon cloth) was used as the first conductive part 1, and a magnesium sheet-like member (0.5 mm thick, 10 cm x 10 cm) was used as the second conductive part 2.

The functional unit 3 used had a power consumption unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit. The input impedance was 1 kΩ or more, and the unit had a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic. The power consumption unit used an LED that lights up when a voltage of 3 V or more is applied. The output voltage conversion unit used a boost circuit. The control unit used was one that controlled the discharge of the accumulated charge in a shorter time than the time required to accumulate the charge.

As medium 4, a substance (hereinafter also referred to as jelly) made by gelling tap water with gelatin (Gelice, manufactured by Maruha Nichiro Corporation) was used. In other words, the dispersion medium of the jelly was tap water. The jelly contained 2 parts by mass of gelatin for every 100 parts by mass of tap water.

First, tap water was heated to 80°C, gelatin was added and stirred to prepare a gelatin solution. The gelatin solution was poured into an acrylic container (inner dimensions: length 10 cm x width 10 cm x depth 10 cm) to a height of 5 cm. The first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 were placed in the acrylic container so that the sheet-like flat parts were parallel to the depth direction of the acrylic container. The first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 were placed approximately parallel so that the sheet-like flat parts faced each other, and the distance between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 was approximately 10 mm. With the first conductive part 1, the second conductive part 2 and the gelatin solution placed inside, the acrylic container was cooled in a refrigerator to solidify the gelatin solution into a jelly-like state.

The first conductive part 1 is connected to the input terminal A1 of the boost circuit of the output voltage conversion part, and the output terminal B1 of the boost circuit is connected to the LED light bulb. The second conductive part 2 is further connected to the input terminal A2 of the boost circuit, and the output terminal B2 of the boost circuit is connected to the terminal opposite to the terminal connected to the output terminal B1 of the LED light bulb, thereby forming a system.

In the constructed system, the LED bulb blinked repeatedly every two seconds. In other words, it was confirmed that electricity was being generated from the first conductive part 1 and/or the second conductive part 2.

In the constructed system, a 34401A multimeter (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) was connected in place of functional unit 3, and the voltage between first conductive unit 1 and second conductive unit 2 was measured to be 370 mV.

Example 2
The test was performed at room temperature and normal pressure. The system was configured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a substance (hereinafter also referred to as agar gel) made by gelling tap water with agar (Kakuagar, manufactured by Kasai Co., Ltd.) was used as the medium 4. In other words, the dispersion medium of the agar gel was tap water. The agar gel contained 1.5 parts by mass of agar per 100 parts by mass of tap water. The heating temperature of the tap water was 100°C.

In the constructed system, the LED bulb repeatedly blinked on and off every 10 to 20 seconds. In other words, it was confirmed that electricity was being generated from the first conductive part 1 and/or the second conductive part 2.

In the constructed system, a 34401A multimeter (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) was connected in place of functional unit 3, and the voltage between first conductive unit 1 and second conductive unit 2 was measured to be 300 mV.

Example 3
The test was performed at room temperature and normal pressure. In order to configure a system including a first conductive part 1, a second conductive part 2, a functional part 3, and a medium 4 as shown in Fig. 1 (A), a carbon sheet-like member (0.05 to 0.5 mm thick, 12 cm x 12 cm) was used as the first conductive part 1, and a magnesium sheet-like member (0.5 mm thick, 12 cm x 12 cm) was used as the second conductive part 2.

The functional unit 3 used had a power consumption unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit. The input impedance was 1 kΩ or more, and the unit had a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic. The power consumption unit used an LED that lights up when a voltage of 3 V or more is applied. The output voltage conversion unit used a boost circuit. The control unit used was one that controlled the discharge of the accumulated charge in a shorter time than the time required to accumulate the charge.

The medium 4 used was a gel-like substance (hereinafter referred to as soil polymer) made by mixing soil (black soil collected in Ibaraki Prefecture, 160 ^cm3 , moisture content approximately 30-50%) with a highly water-absorbent polymer (super water-absorbent resin, manufactured by Kenis Co., Ltd.). In other words, the dispersion medium for the soil polymer was the moisture contained in the soil. The soil polymer was made to contain 100 parts by mass of highly water-absorbent polymer for every 100 parts by mass of soil.

The first conductive part 1 was placed on a workbench so that the sheet-like flat part was parallel to the top surface of the workbench. The earth polymer was spread over the entire top surface of the second conductive part 2 to a thickness of about 1 mm. The second conductive part 2 was placed on top of the earth polymer, approximately parallel to the first conductive part 1 so that the sheet-like flat part faced the first conductive part 1. The distance between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 was about 1 mm.

The first conductive part 1 is connected to the input terminal A1 of the boost circuit of the output voltage conversion part, and the output terminal B1 of the boost circuit is connected to the LED light bulb. The second conductive part 2 is further connected to the input terminal A2 of the boost circuit, and the output terminal B2 of the boost circuit is connected to the terminal opposite to the terminal connected to the output terminal B1 of the LED light bulb, thereby forming a system.

In the constructed system, the LED bulb blinked repeatedly every 5 to 6 seconds. In other words, it was confirmed that electricity was being generated from the first conductive part 1 and/or the second conductive part 2.

In the constructed system, a 34401A multimeter (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) was connected in place of functional unit 3, and the voltage between first conductive unit 1 and second conductive unit 2 was measured to be 1.2 V.

Example 4
The test was performed at room temperature and normal pressure. In order to configure a system including a first conductive part 1, a second conductive part 2, a functional part 3, and a medium 4 as shown in Fig. 1 (A), a carbon nanotube sheet-like member (0.1 mm thick, 17.9 cm x 17.9 cm) was used as the first conductive part 1, and a magnesium sheet-like member (0.5 mm thick, 17.9 cm x 17.9 cm) was used as the second conductive part 2.

The functional unit 3 used had a power consumption unit, an output voltage conversion unit, and a control unit. The input impedance was 1 kΩ or more, and the unit had a nonlinear current-voltage characteristic. The power consumption unit used an LED that lights up when a voltage of 3 V or more is applied. The output voltage conversion unit used a boost circuit. The control unit used was one that controlled the discharge of the accumulated charge in a shorter time than the time required to accumulate the charge.

As the medium 4, a gel-like substance (hereinafter also referred to as water polymer) was used, which was made by mixing tap water with a highly absorbent polymer (super absorbent resin, manufactured by Kenis Co., Ltd.). In other words, the dispersion medium for the water polymer was tap water. The water polymer contained 0.5 parts by mass of highly absorbent polymer for every 100 parts by mass of tap water.

The first conductive part 1 was placed in an acrylic container (inner dimensions: thickness 1.2 cm × width 21.4 cm × depth 21.4 cm) so as to contact the flat part (side with the larger area) inside the container. The second conductive part 2 was placed so as to contact the flat part (side with the larger area) inside the container facing the first conductive part 1. The distance between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 was 12 mm, and the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 were placed approximately parallel so that the sheet-like flat parts faced each other. Next, the water polymer was placed inside the container to a height of 14.5 cm so that the water polymer was placed between the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2. Hereinafter, the device of Example 4 created in this way is also referred to as the water polymer device.

The first conductive part 1 is connected to the input terminal A1 of the boost circuit of the output voltage conversion part, and the output terminal B1 of the boost circuit is connected to the LED light bulb. The second conductive part 2 is further connected to the input terminal A2 of the boost circuit, and the output terminal B2 of the boost circuit is connected to the terminal opposite to the terminal connected to the output terminal B1 of the LED light bulb, thereby forming a system.

In the constructed system, the LED bulb was lit for at least one hour. In other words, it was confirmed that electricity was being generated from the first conductive part 1 and/or the second conductive part 2.

Next, in the constructed system, the functional part 3 was removed, and an electronic load device (EC-LAB, manufactured by Bio-Logic Science Instruments) was connected to the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2 to examine the change in voltage when a specific current was drawn from the water polymer device (when a specific current was loaded).

Figure 3 shows the change in voltage of the devices of the examples and comparative examples according to the embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 3, the horizontal axis represents time (seconds), the left vertical axis represents voltage (V), and the right vertical axis represents current (mA). Voltage measurements were performed using a 34401A multimeter (manufactured by Agilent Technologies) connected to the first conductive part 1 and the second conductive part 2. The measured voltage was recorded using a data logger device.

Figure 3 (A) shows the change in voltage when a certain current is drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4.

First, the voltage was measured for 10 minutes without drawing a current from the water polymer device of Example 4, and then the voltage was measured for 10 minutes with a current of 0.01 mA drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4. Next, the current was stopped from being drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4, and the voltage was measured for 10 minutes without drawing a current, and then the voltage was measured for 10 minutes with a current of 0.05 mA drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4. In addition, the current was stopped from being drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4, and the voltage was measured for 10 minutes without drawing a current, and then the voltage was measured for 10 minutes with a current of 0.1 mA drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4. Furthermore, the current was stopped from being drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4, and the voltage was measured for 10 minutes without drawing a current, and then the voltage was measured for 10 minutes with a current of 0.2 mA drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4. In addition, the current was stopped from being drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4, and the voltage was measured for 10 minutes without drawing a current, and then the voltage was measured for 10 minutes with a current of 0.5 mA drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4. Furthermore, the current was stopped from being drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4, and the voltage was measured for 10 minutes without drawing a current.

The measured voltage showed a change in which it dropped while the current was being drawn, and returned to around 1.59 V when the current was no longer drawn. The voltage drop Va when a current of 0.5 mA was drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4, as indicated by the double arrow in Figure 3 (A), was about 0.095 V. In other words, the value of the internal resistance of the water polymer device of Example 4 when a current of 0.5 mA was drawn from the water polymer device of Example 4 was about 193 Ω.

(Comparative Example 1)
The test was performed at room temperature and normal pressure. An apparatus (hereinafter also referred to as a water apparatus) and a system were configured in the same manner as in Example 4, except that tap water was used as the medium 4. Tap water was poured into the container to a height of 15 cm.

In the constructed system, the LED bulb was lit for a few seconds, and then repeatedly blinked at intervals of about 10 times per second. In other words, it was confirmed that electricity was being generated from the first conductive part 1 and/or the second conductive part 2.

Next, in the constructed system, the functional unit 3 was removed, and the change in voltage when a predetermined current was drawn from the water device (when a predetermined current was loaded) was examined, as in Example 4. Figure 3 (B) shows the change in voltage when a predetermined current was drawn from the water device of Comparative Example 1.

The measured voltage showed a change in which it dropped while current was being drawn, and returned to around 1.56 V when current was no longer being drawn. The voltage drop Vb when a current of 0.5 mA was drawn from the water device of Comparative Example 1, as indicated by the double arrow in Figure 3 (B), was approximately 0.036 V. In other words, the internal resistance value of the water device of Comparative Example 1 when a current of 0.5 mA was drawn from it was approximately 72.3 Ω.

(Comparative Example 2)
The test was carried out at room temperature and pressure. The apparatus (hereinafter also referred to as the soil apparatus) and the system were constructed in the same manner as in Example 4, except that soil (black soil produced in Ibaraki Prefecture) was used as the medium 4. The soil was placed inside the container to a height of 13 cm.

In the constructed system, the LED bulb was lit for a few seconds, and then repeatedly blinked at intervals of about 10 times per second. In other words, it was confirmed that electricity was being generated from the first conductive part 1 and/or the second conductive part 2.

Next, in the constructed system, functional unit 3 was removed, and the change in voltage when a predetermined current was drawn from the earth device (when a predetermined current was loaded) was examined, as in Example 4. Figure 3 (C) shows the change in voltage when a predetermined current was drawn from the earth device of Comparative Example 2.

The measured voltage showed a change in which it dropped while the current was being drawn, and returned to around 1.63 V when the current was no longer being drawn. The voltage drop Vc when a current of 0.5 mA was drawn from the earth device of Comparative Example 2, as indicated by the double arrow in Figure 3(C), was approximately 0.19 V. In other words, the internal resistance value of the earth device of Comparative Example 2 when a current of 0.5 mA was drawn from it was approximately 382 Ω.

From the results of Example 4 and Comparative Example 1, when medium 4 was a gel-like substance with water as the solvent, the internal resistance of the device was higher than when medium 4 was water. Also, from the results of Example 4, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2, the internal resistance of the device was highest when medium 4 was water, highest when medium 4 was a gel-like substance with water as the solvent, and lowest when medium 4 was soil.

1 first conductive part, 2 second conductive part, 3 functional part, 4 medium

Claims (6)

A first conductive portion and a second conductive portion,
The media,
A functional part is provided.
the first conductive portion and the functional portion are connected to each other,
the second conductive portion and the functional portion are connected to each other,
The first conductive part is in contact with the medium,
The second conductive part is in contact with the medium;
the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion are not in contact with each other,
The medium contains a colloidal material;
system. The colloidal material contains a superabsorbent polymer, agar, gelatin, and/or starch.
The system of claim 1 . The medium contains water, seawater, and/or moist sand or soil;
3. A system according to claim 1 or 2. A first conductive portion and a second conductive portion,
The media,
Equipped with
The first conductive portion is in contact with the medium;
The second conductive part is in contact with the medium;
the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion are not in contact with each other,
A device wherein the medium contains a colloidal material. The device according to claim 4, which generates electricity by connecting the first conductive part and the second conductive part to the functional part, thereby causing the functional part to function. A first conductive portion and a second conductive portion;
The media and
Equipped with
The first conductive part is in contact with the medium,
The second conductive part is in contact with the medium;
the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion are not in contact with each other,
In a device in which the medium contains a colloidal material,
A method for generating electricity by connecting a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion to a functional portion, thereby causing the functional portion to function.

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