According to the news reported by 24 Kanal with reference to TechSpot, polystyrene, which is mainly used in packaging, accumulates in landfills around the world and its global production reaches 25 million tons every year.

This plastic material is known to be resistant to ongoing decomposition up to 500 yearsand only a small portion of this can be recycled. But researchers from RMIT University in Australia and Riga Technical University in Latvia have discovered a new application: generating static electricity from thin, lightweight polystyrene plates.

How does it work?

By directing air through layers of polystyrene sheets, each one-tenth the thickness of a human hair, static electricity is created as the sheets rub against each other.

This static charge can be used, stored in capacitors, and converted into useful electricity.

How can it be applied in practice?

Scientists recommend installing these generators, consisting of a series of parallel polystyrene plates, in places with constant air flow, for example, in ventilation systems. This will allow electricity to be returned to local power grids and reduce the electricity consumption of air conditioners by 5%.

This method provides a double advantage: it solves the environmental problem of polystyrene waste and at the same time supports the development of environmentally clean energy production.