New electronic Component?

[Popcan]

Hi everyone,

I had an idea, more like a thought, about a new component. Whether it will work as i believe it will, is up to those with a good understanding of electron physics.

My theory was, that inductors  with an iron core have a greatly magnified magnetic field. When another winding is placed on the same core, that is, another inductor, we get a transformer. A changing magnetic field caused by an AC input induces a current in the other winding. But this only works with AC. We have nothing which acts like a 'Transformer' for DC.

Some of you may know we can put a third winding on a core, and hook it up to be used as a magnetic amplifier. There's another component (abandoned) i found called a "Transfluxor", simply put, it is a disk made of a material like soft iron, with different sized holes (apertures) in it, and coils run through the holes allow one to control current using the magnetic flux through the core, almost like a magnetic Amplifier.

Anyways, my thought was: if we can create a transformer by putting a second coil on the same core, can we do this with capacitors? Using a High-k dielectric, which has a high polarizability, can we create a current which is altered ?(step-up/step-down) My thoughts are in the attached picture. I was thinking this may also be used like an amplifier as well?

I DID find evidence once, of something like this being used like an amplifier, here: http://www.capturedlightning.org/hot-streamer/pool/dielectric.htm

It talks about a "Dielectric Amplifier". It uses a non-linear amplifier, like barium titanate (That material shows up everywhere, lol) to amplify a signal. I want to know if i can use it like a transformer, to create a altered DC potential, rather than AC. I thought this since the Capacitor is like the counterpart to the Inductor.

Please give me your input, and what you think. Help is appreciated.

[e2matrix]

Sounds reasonable but I'm no expert in theory along these lines.  Sounds fairly easy to try this so why not give it a shot and build it.  Capacitors are fairly easy to make and this doesn't seem like it would be too hard to try out.  It could certainly be a helpful 'component' if it works.

[Popcan]

Sounds reasonable but I'm no expert in theory along these lines.  Sounds fairly easy to try this so why not give it a shot and build it.  Capacitors are fairly easy to make and this doesn't seem like it would be too hard to try out.  It could certainly be a helpful 'component' if it works.

Yes, I would love to, and I have materials to make half-decent capacitors, however i believe it may require a VERY good dielectric. Vacuum is a 1 on this scale, glass is around 10 ( I think) and Barium titanate is over 1000. Without a good material, it would be like making a transformer with aluminium as a core, instead of iron.

I think in this case, this "Electroformer" (As it uses electric fields instead of Magnetic fields  )
In terms of performance,
Magnetic Permeability = Dielectric Constant

Anyone know any easily available high-k dielectrics?

[e2matrix]

Castor oil is readily available and cheap.  It's used in high voltage caps but I'm sure it's nothing close to barium titanate.  I'd do some serious Google'ing to see what you can come up with. 

[AbbaRue]

I have had thoughts on this same idea.  I once asked the question on a forum:
"What would happen if you used a capacitor with varying plate spacing?"
If you charge the cap and then move the plates closer together in theory it should increase the voltage. 
As you charge a cap. a static charge is built up between the plates that draws the plates together.
In theory if the plates were made in a spring loaded manner they would be brought closer together by charging them.

I had an interesting experience on this subject that caused me to ask these questions. 
I made my own cap. out of Al Foil and plastic drop sheet material. 
I tried charging the cap. using a bridge rectifier made from four 1000 Volt 6 Amp diodes, and the diodes kept malfunctioning.
I went through about 5 diodes this way and at no time was the voltage I was rectifying even close to 1000 volts.
In fact I even had them burn out using only a 120 volt input from an isolation transformer. 
And the diodes never even had a chance to get warm before they malfunctioned,
so it wasn't because the current drain passed 6 amps and over heated them.
So I can't explain how such high value diodes kept burning out. 
But I noticed that every time I started charging my home made cap. the cap. would shrink as the static charge
would cause the foil plates to be drawn closer together, compressing the plastic sheet material.   
I made 2 of these caps. both were made with two 6 foot strips of Al foil about 12 inches wide. 
The plastic comes in 3 grades of thickness for construction, this was the thinnest of the 3 grades.
I lay them out of the floor and rolled them as tight as I could. 
After the diodes malfunctioned I tested the caps with an ohm meter to see if the plates had shorted out,
but they seemed fine.  I got so mad because the diodes kept frying that I ripped one apart with my hands. LOL!
 
Anyway I'm glad someone else is asking similar questions about caps. 
A cap with an elastic dielectric may be a new way of tapping into free energy.