The scientists in the experiment took a rod made of galfenol - which is iron doped with gallium - placed it under high pressure impact forces on both ends while under a magnetic field and discovered the material could convert the exerted force into electricity at a 70% efficiency rate.
So what about the physics behind all of this? What is happening here to make this possible?
My guess is that since gallium is diamagnetic and amalgamates with the iron the exerted forces on both ends of the galfenol rod distorts the metal lattice causing the gallium to slip around and be pushed throughout. The magnetic field that aligns the iron atoms is blocked by the diamagnetic property of gallium which causes the polar orientation of the iron atoms to flip as the gallium amalgamates through the iron. The spinning or tumbling polarity of some of the iron atoms generates an electric field much like a dynamo.
Would this be an accurate explanation?
Also would it be more accurate to say it is gallium oxide and not gallium in the galfenol?
Here is the link to the article I read:
https://m.phys.org/news/2015-09-iron-gallium-alloy-power-generation-device.html
