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Fang J, Zhang X, Duan P, Jiang Z, Lu X, Fu C, Zhang Y, Yao Y, Shang K, Qin J, Liu Y, Yang T. Efficient and cold-tolerant moisture-enabled power generator combining ionic diode and ionic hydrogel. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2024; 11:1261-1271. [PMID: 38164050 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh01496g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The ionic diode structure has become one of the attractive structures in the field of moisture-based power generation. However, existing devices still suffer from poor moisture trapping, low surface charge, and inefficient ion separation, resulting in low output power. Moreover, water freezes at low temperatures (<0 °C), limiting the ionic diode structure to generate electricity in cold environments. In this paper, a moisture-enabled power generator has been designed and fabricated, which assembles a negatively charged ionic hydrogel film and a positively charged anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) film to construct a heterojunction. The hydrogel polymer network is modified with a large number of sulfonate groups that dissociate to provide nanoscale pores with high surface charge to improve the rectification ratio. And the lithium chloride (LiCl) salt with high hydration ability is added to the hydrogel as a moisture-trapping and anti-freezing component. Usually salt ions reduce the Debye length, so that the ion transport is finally not controlled by the electric double layer (EDL) and the rectification fails. Interestingly, due to the natural affinity of the hydrogel polymer network for LiCl, LiCl is locked on the hydrogel side and does not easily enter the AAO pores to change the distribution of EDL within the nanochannel. As a result, the device rectification ratio is almost independent of the amount of LiCl addition, demonstrating an excellent balance of high output power and high freeze resistance. Ultimately, the device exhibits excellent power generation performance in the -20 °C to 60 °C temperature range and 15% to 93% RH humidity range. Typically, under high humidity (93% RH) at room temperature (25 °C), it provides an open-circuit voltage of 1.25 V and a short-circuit current of 300 μA cm-2, with an on-load output power of up to 71.35 μW cm-2. Under medium humidity (50% RH) at low temperature (-20 °C), it provides an open-circuit voltage of 1.11 V and a short-circuit current of 15 μA cm-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Fang
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
| | - Peng Duan
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
| | - Zhongbao Jiang
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
| | - Xulei Lu
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
| | - Chunqiao Fu
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
| | - Yong Zhang
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
| | - Yuming Yao
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
| | - Kedong Shang
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
| | - Jieyang Qin
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
| | - Yangfan Liu
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
| | - Tingting Yang
- Tribology Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China.
- Institute of Smart City and Intelligent Transportation, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, Sichuan, P. R. China
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Xie S, Yan H, Qi R. A Review of Polymer-Based Environment-Induced Nanogenerators: Power Generation Performance and Polymer Material Manipulations. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:555. [PMID: 38399933 PMCID: PMC10892734 DOI: 10.3390/polym16040555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Natural environment hosts a considerable amount of accessible energy, comprising mechanical, thermal, and chemical potentials. Environment-induced nanogenerators are nanomaterial-based electronic chips that capture environmental energy and convert it into electricity in an environmentally friendly way. Polymers, characterized by their superior flexibility, lightweight, and ease of processing, are considered viable materials. In this paper, a thorough review and comparison of various polymer-based nanogenerators were provided, focusing on their power generation principles, key materials, power density and stability, and performance modulation methods. The latest developed nanogenerators mainly include triboelectric nanogenerators (TriboENG), piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENG), thermoelectric nanogenerators (ThermoENG), osmotic power nanogenerator (OPNG), and moist-electric generators (MENG). Potential practical applications of polymer-based nanogenerator were also summarized. The review found that polymer nanogenerators can harness a variety of energy sources, with the basic power generation mechanism centered on displacement/conduction currents induced by dipole/ion polarization, due to the non-uniform distribution of physical fields within the polymers. The performance enhancement should mainly start from strengthening the ion mobility and positive/negative ion separation in polymer materials. The development of ionic hydrogel and hydrogel matrix composites is promising for future nanogenerators and can also enable multi-energy collaborative power generation. In addition, enhancing the uneven distribution of temperature, concentration, and pressure induced by surrounding environment within polymer materials can also effectively improve output performance. Finally, the challenges faced by polymer-based nanogenerators and directions for future development were prospected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuanghong Xie
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation of Education Ministry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China (H.Y.)
| | - Huping Yan
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation of Education Ministry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China (H.Y.)
| | - Ronghui Qi
- Key Laboratory of Enhanced Heat Transfer and Energy Conservation of Education Ministry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China (H.Y.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fuel Cell Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
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Han Y, Wang Y, Wang M, Dong H, Nie Y, Zhang S, He H. Nanofluid-Guided Janus Membrane for High-Efficiency Electricity Generation from Water Evaporation. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2312209. [PMID: 38262622 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202312209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Harvesting electricity from widespread water evaporation provides an alternative route to cleaner power generation technology. However, current evaporation power generation (EPG) mainly depends on the dissociation process of certain functional groups (e.g., SO3 H) in water, which suffers from low power density and short-term output. Herein, the Janus membrane is prepared by combining nanofluid and water-grabbing material for EPG, where the nanoconfined ionic liquids (NCILs) serve as ion sources instead of the functional groups. Benefiting from the selective and fast transport of anions in NCILs, such EPG demonstrates excellent power performance with a voltage of 0.63 V, a short-circuit current of 140 µA, and a maximum power density of 16.55 µW cm-2 while operating for at least 180 h consistently. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and surface potential analysis reveal the molecular mechanism, that is, the diffusion of Cl- anions during evaporation is much faster than that of cations, generating the voltage and current across the membrane. Furthermore, the device performs well in varying environmental conditions, including different water temperatures and sources of evaporating water, showcasing its adaptability and integrability. Overall, the nanofluid-guided Janus membrane can efficiently transform low-grade thermal energy in evaporation into electricity, showing a competitive advantage over other sustainable applied approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiang Han
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Yanlei Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- Longzihu New Energy Laboratory, Zhengzhou Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology, Henan University, Zhengzhou, 450000, P. R. China
| | - Mi Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hao Dong
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yi Nie
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- Longzihu New Energy Laboratory, Zhengzhou Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology, Henan University, Zhengzhou, 450000, P. R. China
| | - Suojiang Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Hongyan He
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ionic Liquids Clean Process, State Key Laboratory of Mesoscience and Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- Longzihu New Energy Laboratory, Zhengzhou Institute of Emerging Industrial Technology, Henan University, Zhengzhou, 450000, P. R. China
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Hu Y, Yang W, Wei W, Sun Z, Wu B, Li K, Li Y, Zhang Q, Xiao R, Hou C, Wang H. Phyto-inspired sustainable and high-performance fabric generators via moisture absorption-evaporation cycles. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk4620. [PMID: 38198540 PMCID: PMC10780955 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk4620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Collecting energy from the ubiquitous water cycle has emerged as a promising technology for power generation. Here, we have developed a sustainable moisture absorption-evaporation cycling fabric (Mac-fabric). On the basis of the cycling unidirectional moisture conduction in the fabric and charge separation induced by the negative charge channel, sustainable constant voltage power generation can be achieved. A single Mac-fabric can achieve a high power output of 0.144 W/m2 (5.76 × 102 W/m3) at 40% relative humidity (RH) and 20°C. By assembling 500 series and 300 parallel units of Mac-fabrics, a large-scale demo achieves 350 V of series voltage and 33.76 mA of parallel current at 25% RH and 20°C. Thousands of Mac-fabric units are sewn into a tent to directly power commercial electronic products such as mobile phones in outdoor environments. The lightweight (300 g/m2) and soft characteristics of the Mac-fabric make it ideal for large-area integration and energy collection in real circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhao Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Weifeng Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Zhouquan Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Bo Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Kerui Li
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Yaogang Li
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Qinghong Zhang
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Ru Xiao
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Chengyi Hou
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Hongzhi Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
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