Sustainable and flexible hydrovoltaic power generator for wearable sensing electronics. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Lianhui; Hao, Mingming; Yang, Xianqing; Sun, Fuqin; Bai, Yuanyuan; Ding, Haiyan; Wang, Shuqi; Zhang, Ting
• Is Part Of: Nano energy. Volume 72(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Flexible electronics -- Hydrovoltaic -- Power generator -- Water evaporation -- Nanochannels; 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.2020.104663
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2211-2855

Abstract

Abstract: Along with the development of flexible electronics, there is a pressing demand for a suitable power supply featuring great flexibility, high mobility, good stability, and sustainability. Converting thermal energy into electricity during water evaporation process could be an attractive and promising opportunity. Here, a sustainable flexible hydrovoltaic power generator (HPG) driven by water evaporation with high performance in portability, flexibility, and long-term stable electricity generation was developed. Based on constructed functionalized nanochannels and the introduction of superabsorbent hydrogel as a water source, the HPG can take advantage of the spontaneous evaporation of water to continuously convert ambient heat into electricity. A sustainable short circuit current up to 63 μA and an optimized output power of 8.1 μW with a lifetime over 150 h were achieved at ambient conditions (20.4 °C, 55% RH). Moreover, the flexible hydrovoltaic nanogenerator can withstand a large range of bending deformation (up to 120°) without significant changes in power generation, which endows evaporation-induced HPGs with the ability to be applied as flexible portable power sources for wearable electronics. Graphical abstract: A sustainable flexible hydrovoltaic power generator (HPG) driven by water evaporation with high performance in portability, flexibility, and long-term, stable electricity generation was developed. Based on the sustainable and flexible HPG, we constructed a wearable self-powered flexile sensing system, and demonstrated its real-time motion monitoring ability, which provides a novel way to further utilize environmental energy for flexible and wearable devices. Image 1 Highlights: A superabsorbent hydrogel was use as water source to fabricate a flexible hydrovoltaic power generator. A hydrovoltaic generator shows good performance in portability, flexibility, and long-term stable electricity generation. A wearable self-powered flexile sensing system based on the sustainable and flexible HPG was constructed.