***Take a nanolayer of rust and wash it over with saltwater. The electrokinetic phenomenon will make electricity without the need for any of the usual chemical reactions. In the right environment, this could become a practically inexhaustible source of electricity.***

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We already know of a good number of ways to make electricity. Solar cells, wind and water turbines, atomic reactions or even from geothermal energy. And now we may have a new source and a quite unexpected one. Its something we usually despise – rust. Scientists from Caltech and the Northwestern University found out that when saltwater flows over two very thin films of rust or iron oxide electricity gets made. This is a completely new way to make electricity that could become the base for so far never seen forms of sustainable energy. Its all about the electrokinetic phenomenon that was previously observed in graphene film. It is actually a really efficient process. The efficiency of transforming kinetic energy of saltwater into electricity is about 30 percent while even the best solar panels have only about 20 percent efficiency.

What is another benefit is that the ultra-thin films of rust aren't that hard to get. Making them, even in large quantities is pretty easy because in the end its just rust on an iron surface. The only real problem is that it has to be an equally thin layer of rust all the way. This is why the scientists used physical vapor deposition during which solid material evaporates and is deposited on the intended substrate. This allowed them to create an even layer of rust of just 10 nanometers.

When the creators tested their “rusty technology” it showed that a square centimeter of the nanolayer can create a few tenths millivolts and several microamperes. The scientists are convinced that a system of an area of ten square meters could generate several kilowatts – enough for a normal American household. For now, the “rusty energy” could be used by devices with low power requirements in remote places or when there is already movement of saltwater like in the ocean.

## Sources:
* https://phys.org/news/2019-07-ultra-thin-layers-rust-electricity.html
* https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/ultra-thin-layers-rust-generate-electricity-flowing-water

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