A moisture induced self-charging device for energy harvesting and storage. (June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Luo, Zhiling; Liu, Changhong; Fan, Shoushan
• Is Part Of: Nano energy. Volume 60(2019)
• Page Start: 371
• Page End: 376
• Publication Date: 2019-06
• Subjects: Energy harvesting -- Energy storage -- Supercapacitors -- Carbon nanotubes; Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanostructured materials -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Nanoscience; Nanostructured materials; Nanotechnology; Power resources -- Technological innovations; Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.03.073
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2211-2855

Abstract

Abstract: Harvesting energy from water movement has aroused extensive and intensive interest because of its great potential in both energy-related field and wearable electronics. In this work, simply bridging two carbon nanotube (CNT) electrodes by HCl/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) electrolyte gel with CaCl2 in one side, a novel moisture induced self-charging device (MISD) was successfully fabricated. The MISD can be directly charged to 0.348 V in a humid environment without any complex experimental configuration and the harvesting energy can be effectively stored. The self-charging behaviors under various humid conditions have been explored. The self-charging property is based on the automatic electrolyte diffusion, which is driven by water absorption from moisture by CaCl2 . The diffusion can reorient and dislocate conductive ions and induce a potential across the bridge. The application possibility was demonstrated by scaling up MISDs in series to power a timer. Output improvement of a single MISD is also available based on a sandwich like structure, which can reach 0.243 mW cm −2 . Besides its application potential in wearable and smart electronics, the MISD also provides a reference for the novel utilization of moisture in energy harvesting and storage. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: A device for harvesting and storage energy from moisture based on supercapacitor structures is originally investigated. The self-charging behaviors under various humid conditions and the mechanism have been explored. The self-charging property is based on the automatic electrolyte diffusion driven by water absorption from moisture. The sandwich type device can reach an output 0.243 mW cm −2, 1-3 orders higher than that of similar generators.