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Liu L, Guo X, Zhang D, Ma R. Thermogalvanic hydrogels for low-grade heat harvesting and health monitoring. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2025. [PMID: 40351014 DOI: 10.1039/d4mh01931h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2025]
Abstract
Direct conversion of ubiquitous heat energy into electricity is crucial for the development of green and sustainable power sources and self-powered electronic devices. Compared with traditional semiconductor thermoelectric materials, emerging thermogalvanic hydrogels offer high thermopowers, excellent intrinsic flexibilities, and low manufacturing costs, making them highly promising for low-grade thermal energy harvesting, self-powered flexible electronics, and wearable health monitoring devices. This review summarizes the recent advancements in thermogalvanic hydrogels, focusing on the strategies employed to enhance their thermoelectric properties and mechanical performances and expand their operational temperature ranges. We also explore their potential applications in low-grade heat harvesting for powering electronic devices and wearable applications. This review will provide valuable insights and guidance for the development and application of high-performance thermogalvanic hydrogels by systematically analyzing the potential of thermogalvanic hydrogels for flexible energy supply systems, outlining the performance enhancement mechanisms, and further discussing the current challenges and opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials, Nankai University, Tongyan Road 38, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Xin Guo
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials, Nankai University, Tongyan Road 38, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Ding Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials, Nankai University, Tongyan Road 38, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Rujun Ma
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Materials, Nankai University, Tongyan Road 38, Tianjin 300350, China.
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2
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De A, Dagar M, Kneer B, Kim J, Thorarinsdottir AE. Best Practices for Variable-Temperature Electrochemistry Experiments and Data Reporting. ACS ENERGY LETTERS 2025; 10:1542-1549. [PMID: 40242635 PMCID: PMC11998081 DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.5c00308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2025] [Accepted: 02/21/2025] [Indexed: 04/18/2025]
Affiliation(s)
- Anyesh De
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, United States
| | - Mamta Dagar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, United States
| | - Bryce Kneer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, United States
| | - James Kim
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, United States
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Lee CY, Hong SH, Liu CL. Recent Progress in Polymer Gel-Based Ionic Thermoelectric Devices: Materials, Methods, and Perspectives. Macromol Rapid Commun 2025; 46:e2400837. [PMID: 39895205 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202400837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2024] [Revised: 12/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2025]
Abstract
Polymer gel-based ionic thermoelectric (i-TE) devices, including thermally chargeable capacitors and thermogalvanic cells, represent an innovative approach to sustainable energy harvesting by converting waste heat into electricity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in gel-based i-TE materials, focusing on their ionic Seebeck coefficients, the mechanisms underlying the thermodiffusion and thermogalvanic effects, and the various strategies employed to enhance their performance. Gel-based i-TE materials show great promise due to their flexibility, low cost, and suitability for flexible and wearable devices. However, challenges such as improving the ionic conductivity and stability of redox couples remain. Future directions include enhancing the efficiency of ionic-electronic coupling and developing more robust electrode materials to optimize the energy conversion efficiency in real-world applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Yu Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Shao-Huan Hong
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Liang Liu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
- Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
- Advanced Research Center for Green Materials Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
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4
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Bao X, Luo H, Weng T, Chen Z, Yan X, An F, Jiang F, Chen H. Photothermal Material-Based Solar-Driven Cogeneration of Water and Electricity: An Efficient and Promising Technology. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2025:e2411369. [PMID: 39828590 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202411369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2024] [Revised: 01/06/2025] [Indexed: 01/22/2025]
Abstract
With the increasing demand for fresh-water and electricity in modern society, various technologies are being explored to obtain fresh-water and electricity. Due to advances in materials science, solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) systems have attracted widespread attention because they require only solar energy, and possess a high evaporation rate and little pollution. The researchers combined energy harvesting measures into the system to output electricity, further improving energy utilization. However, more in-depth research and review remain on using SDIE systems for efficient water-electricity cogeneration. Therefore, the mechanisms of different photothermal materials that utilize solar energy to produce thermal energy are first summarized in this paper. Subsequently, the mechanism and application of thermal, mechanical, chemical, and evaporation energy to produce electrical power in SDIE water-electricity cogeneration systems are discussed. Concurrently, vital mathematical equations and widely used mathematical simulation methods for performance evaluation and practical applications are presented. The design and operation of water-electricity cogeneration systems based on photothermal materials are analyzed and summarized. Based on a review and in-depth understanding of these aspects, the future development direction of cogeneration is proposed to address the problems faced in basic research and practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangxin Bao
- Key Laboratory of Jiangsu Province for Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, P. R. China
| | - Haopeng Luo
- Key Laboratory of Jiangsu Province for Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, P. R. China
| | - Tingyi Weng
- Key Laboratory of Jiangsu Province for Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, P. R. China
| | - Zihan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Jiangsu Province for Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, P. R. China
| | - Xing Yan
- Key Laboratory of Jiangsu Province for Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, P. R. China
| | - Fengxia An
- China Energy Science and Technology Research Institute Co. Ltd., Nanjing, 210023, P. R. China
| | - Fang Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Jiangsu Province for Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, P. R. China
| | - Huan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Jiangsu Province for Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, P. R. China
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5
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Zhao Z, Shen Y, Hu R, Xu D. Advances in flexible ionic thermal sensors: present and perspectives. NANOSCALE 2024; 17:187-213. [PMID: 39575937 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr03423f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2024]
Abstract
Ionic thermal sensors (ITSs) represent a promising frontier in sensing technology, offering unique advantages over conventional electronic sensors. Comprising a polymer matrix and electrolyte, these sensors possess inherent flexibility, stretchability, and biocompatibility, allowing them to establish stable and intimate contact with soft surfaces without inducing mechanical or thermal stress. Through an ion migration/dissociation mechanism similar to biosensing, ITSs ensure low impedance contact and high sensitivity, especially in physiological monitoring applications. This review provides a comprehensive overview of ionic thermal sensing mechanisms, contrasting them with their electronic counterparts. Additionally, it explores the intricacy of the sensor architecture, detailing the roles of active sensing elements, stretchable electrodes, and flexible substrates. The decoupled sensing mechanisms for skin-inspired multimodal sensors are also introduced based on several representative examples. The latest applications of ITS are categorized into ionic skin (i-skin), healthcare, spatial thermal perception, and environment detection, regarding their materials, structures, and operation modes. Finally, the perspectives of ITS research are presented, emphasizing the significance of standardized sensing parameters and emerging requirements for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehao Zhao
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
| | - Yun Shen
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
| | - Run Hu
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Department of Applied Physics, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-Si, Gyeonggi-do 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongyan Xu
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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Jia Y, Zhang S, Li J, Han Z, Zhang D, Qu X, Wu Z, Wang H, Chen S. Wearable Device with High Thermoelectric Performance and Long-Lasting Usability Based on Gel-Thermocells for Body Heat Harvesting. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2401427. [PMID: 39285822 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202401427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 12/06/2024]
Abstract
Utilizing the thermogalvanic effect, flexible thermoelectric materials present a compelling avenue for converting heat into electricity, especially in the context of wearable electronics. However, prolonged usage is hampered by the limitation imposed on the thermoelectric device's operational time due to the evaporation of moisture. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) offer a promising solution for low-moisture gel fabrication. In this study, a bacterial cellulose (BC)/polyacrylic acid (PAA)/guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) gel is synthesized by incorporating BC into the DES. High-performance n-type and p-type thermocells (TECs) are developed by introducing Fe(ClO4)2/3 and K3/4Fe(CN)6, respectively. BC enhances the mechanical properties through the construction of an interpenetrating network structure. The coordination of carboxyl groups on PAA with Fe3+ and the crystallization induced by Gdm+ with [Fe(CN)6]4- remarkably improve the thermoelectric performance, achieving a Seebeck coefficient (S) of 2.4 mV K-1 and ion conductivity (σ) of 1.4 S m-1 for the n-type TEC, and ‒2.8 mV K-1 and 1.9 S m-1 for the p-type TEC. A flexible wearable thermoelectric device is fabricated with a S of 82 mV K-1 and it maintains a stable output over one month. This research broadens the application scope of DESs in the thermoelectric field and offers promising strategies for long-lasting wearable energy solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhang Jia
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China
| | - Shengming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China
| | - Zhiliang Han
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China
| | - Dong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China
| | - Xiangyang Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China
| | - Zhuotong Wu
- College of Materials Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, P. R. China
| | - Huaping Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China
| | - Shiyan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China
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7
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Yuan R, Li H, Zhao Z, Li A, Xue L, Li K, Deng X, Yu X, Li R, Liu Q, Song Y. Hermetic hydrovoltaic cell sustained by internal water circulation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:9796. [PMID: 39532866 PMCID: PMC11557918 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54216-y] [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: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 11/01/2024] [Indexed: 11/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous efforts have been devoted to harvesting sustainable energy from environment. Among the promising renewable resources, ambient heat exhibits attractive prospects due to its ubiquity and inexhaustibility, and has been converted into electricity through water evaporation-induced hydrovoltaic approaches. However, current hydrovoltaic approaches function only in low-humidity environments and continuously consume water. Herein, we fabricate a hermetic hydrovoltaic cell (HHC) to harvest ambient heat, and have fully addressed the limitations posed by environmental conditions. Meanwhile, for the first time we develop an internal circulation hydrovoltaic mechanism. Taking advantage of the heterogeneous wicking bilayer structure, we verify that inside the hermetic cell, the ambient temperature fluctuation-induced evaporation and further the water circulation can persist, which sustains the hydrovoltaic effect to convert ambient heat into electricity. More importantly, the hermetic design enables the cell to work continuously and reliably for 160 h with negligible water consumption, unaffected by external influences such as wind and light, making it an excellent candidate for extreme situations such as water-scarce deserts, highly humid tropical rain forests, rainy days, and dark underground engineering. These findings provide an easily accessible and widely applicable route for stably harnessing renewable energy, and more notably, offer a novel paradigm toward leveraging low-grade ambient heat energy via circulation design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renxuan Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Huizeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhipeng Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - An Li
- Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Luanluan Xue
- Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Kaixuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Deng
- Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Xinye Yu
- Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Rujun Li
- Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Quan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Yanlin Song
- Key Laboratory of Green Printing, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
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8
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Shen J, Huang X, Dai Y, Zhang X, Xia F. N-type and P-type series integrated hydrogel thermoelectric cells for low-grade heat harvesting. Nat Commun 2024; 15:9305. [PMID: 39468123 PMCID: PMC11519491 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53660-0] [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: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 10/19/2024] [Indexed: 10/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Low-grade heat is abundant and ubiquitous, but it is generally discarded due to the lack of cost-effective recovery technologies. Ion thermoelectric cells are an affordable and straightforward approach of converting low-grade heat into usable electricity for sustainable power. Despite their potential, ion thermoelectric cells face challenges such as limited Seebeck coefficient and required series integration. Here, we demonstrate that the N-type and P-type conversion of ion thermoelectric cells can be achieved through the phase transition of temperature-sensitive hydrogel containing the triiodide/iodide redox couple. Through the strong interaction between the hydrophobic region of the hydrogel and triiodide, the hydrophobic side selectively captures triiodide and the hydrophilic side repels triiodide, raising the concentration difference of triiodide and thereby increasing the Seebeck coefficient. Specifically, the Seebeck coefficient of the N-type ion thermoelectric cells is 7.7 mV K-1, and the Seebeck coefficient of P-type ion thermoelectric cells is -6.3 mV K-1 (ΔT = 15 K). By connecting 10 pairs of the N-type and P-type ion thermoelectric cells, we achieve a voltage of 1.8 V and an output power of 85 μW, surpassing the reported triiodide/iodide-based ion thermoelectric cells. Our work proposes a phase transition strategy for the N-P conversion of ion thermoelectric cells, and highlights the prospect of series integrated hydrogel ion thermoelectric cells for low-grade heat harvesting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiafu Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaojin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.
| | - Fan Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China.
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Jabeen N, Muddasar M, Menéndez N, Nasiri MA, Gómez CM, Collins MN, Muñoz-Espí R, Cantarero A, Culebras M. Recent advances in ionic thermoelectric systems and theoretical modelling. Chem Sci 2024:d4sc04158e. [PMID: 39211742 PMCID: PMC11348834 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc04158e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Converting waste heat from solar radiation and industrial processes into useable electricity remains a challenge due to limitations of traditional thermoelectrics. Ionic thermoelectric (i-TE) materials offer a compelling alternative to traditional thermoelectrics due to their excellent ionic thermopower, low thermal conductivity, and abundant material options. This review categorizes i-TE materials into thermally diffusive and thermogalvanic types, with an emphasis on the former due to its superior thermopower. This review also highlights the i-TE materials for creating ionic thermoelectric supercapacitors (ITESCs) that can generate significantly higher voltages from low-grade heat sources compared to conventional technologies. Additionally, it explores thermogalvanic cells and combined devices, discussing key optimization parameters and theoretical modeling approaches for maximizing material and device performance. Future directions aim to enhance i-TE material performance and address low energy density challenges for flexible and wearable applications. Herein, the cutting-edge of i-TE materials are comprehensively outlined, empowering researchers to develop next-generation waste heat harvesting technologies for a more sustainable future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazish Jabeen
- Institute of Materials Science (ICMUV), Universitat de València PO Box 22085 E46071 Valencia Spain
| | - Muhammad Muddasar
- Stokes Laboratories, School of Engineering, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick Limerick Ireland
| | - Nicolás Menéndez
- Institute of Materials Science (ICMUV), Universitat de València PO Box 22085 E46071 Valencia Spain
| | - Mohammad Ali Nasiri
- Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol), Universitat de València PO Box 22085 E46071 Valencia Spain
| | - Clara M Gómez
- Institute of Materials Science (ICMUV), Universitat de València PO Box 22085 E46071 Valencia Spain
| | - Maurice N Collins
- Stokes Laboratories, School of Engineering, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick Limerick Ireland
| | - Rafael Muñoz-Espí
- Institute of Materials Science (ICMUV), Universitat de València PO Box 22085 E46071 Valencia Spain
| | - Andrés Cantarero
- Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol), Universitat de València PO Box 22085 E46071 Valencia Spain
| | - Mario Culebras
- Institute of Materials Science (ICMUV), Universitat de València PO Box 22085 E46071 Valencia Spain
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10
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Cheng H, Wang Z, Guo Z, Lou J, Han W, Rao J, Peng F. Cellulose-based thermoelectric composites: A review on mechanism, strategies and applications. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 275:132908. [PMID: 38942663 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
The ever-increasing demand for energy and environmental concerns have driven scientists to look for renewable and eco-friendly alternatives. Bio-based thermoelectric (TE) composite materials provide a promising solution to alleviate the global energy crisis due to their direct conversion of heat to electricity. Cellulose, the most abundant bio-polymer on earth with fascinating structure and desirable physicochemical properties, provides an excellent alternative matrix for TE materials. Here, recent studies on cellulose-based TE composites are comprehensively summarized. The fundamentals of TE materials, including TE effects, TE devices, and evaluation on conversion efficiency of TE materials are briefly introduced at the beginning. Then, the state-of-the-art methods for constructing cellulose-based TE composites in the forms of paper/film, aerogel, liquid, and hydrogel, are highlighted. TE performances of these composites are also compared. Following that, applications of cellulose-based TE composites in the fields of energy storage (e.g., supercapacitors) and sensing (e.g., self-powered sensors) are presented. Finally, opportunities and challenges that need investigation toward further development of cellulose-based TE composites are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli Cheng
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Green Materials for Light Industry, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
| | - Zhenyu Wang
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Green Materials for Light Industry, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
| | - Zejiang Guo
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Green Materials for Light Industry, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China
| | - Jiang Lou
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan 250353, China
| | - Wenjia Han
- State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan 250353, China
| | - Jun Rao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Lignocellulosic Chemistry, MOE Engineering Research Center of Forestry Biomass Materials and Bioenergy, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Feng Peng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Lignocellulosic Chemistry, MOE Engineering Research Center of Forestry Biomass Materials and Bioenergy, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; State Key Laboratory of Efficient Production of Forest Resources, Beijing 100083, China
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11
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Liu Y, Chen X, Dong X, Liu A, Ouyang K, Huang Y. Recurrently gellable and thermochromic inorganic hydrogel thermogalvanic cells. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadp4533. [PMID: 39058781 PMCID: PMC11277356 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adp4533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Thermogalvanic cells (TGCs) draw great attention in the field of heat to electricity conversion, but TGCs were only in the form of liquid or organic gel. Here, we report an all-inorganic hydrogel TGC via simply mixing and stirring two inorganic salt solutions. Benefiting from the hydrogen bonds resultant framework and endogenous Fe2+/3+ redox couple, the TGC can recurrently pulverize-gel with completely holding its initial thermogalvanic performances after even 60 cycles. As the temperature and pH coregulating Fe3+ concentration and reversible transformation between Fe3+ and Fe(OH)3, we boost thermopower and realize thermochromism. This work provides a different perspective for TGCs and offers an avenue for future hydrogel materials research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youfa Liu
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Xiaoyang Chen
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Xiaoyu Dong
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Ao Liu
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Kefeng Ouyang
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Flexible Printed Electronics Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
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12
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Meng H, Gao W, Chen Y. Synergistic Anisotropic Network and Hierarchical Electrodes Endow Cost-Effective N-Type Quasi-Solid State Thermocell with Boosted Electricity Production. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2310777. [PMID: 38299481 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202310777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Quasi-solid state thermocells hold immense potential for harnessing untapped low-grade heat and converting it into electricity via the thermogalvanic effect. However, integrated N-type thermocells face limitations in thermoelectric performance due to the rare N-type systems and the poor electroactivity of the electrode interfaces. Herein, a low-cost, high-power N-type quasi-solid state thermocell employing PVA-CuSO4-Cu is presented, which is enhanced by synergistic engineering of an anisotropic network and hierarchical electrodes. The anisotropic polymer network, combined with the salting-out effect, yields impressive mechanical properties that exceed those of most N-type quasi-solid state thermocells. Furthermore, through the synergistic construction of aligned ion transport pathways in the anisotropic thermocell and optimization of the electroactive interface between electrodes and thermocell, a remarkable enhancement of 1500% in output power density (compared to pristine thermocell), reaching 0.51 mW m-2 at ∆T = 5 °C. It is believed that this cost-effective N-type thermocell, enhanced by the synergistic anisotropic network and hierarchical electrodes, paves the way for effective energy harvesting from diverse heat sources and promises to reshape sustainable energy utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haofei Meng
- Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, P. R. China
| | - Wei Gao
- Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, P. R. China
| | - Yongping Chen
- Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, P. R. China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, P. R. China
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13
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Cheng Z, Huang YJ, Zahiri B, Kwon P, Braun PV, Cahill DG. Ionic Peltier effect in Li-ion electrolytes. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:6708-6716. [PMID: 38321982 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05998g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
The coupled transport of charge and heat provide fundamental insights into the microscopic thermodynamics and kinetics of materials. We describe a sensitive ac differential resistance bridge that enables measurements of the temperature difference on two sides of a coin cell with a resolution of better than 10 μK. We use this temperature difference metrology to determine the ionic Peltier coefficients of symmetric Li-ion electrochemical cells as a function of Li salt concentration, solvent composition, electrode material, and temperature. The Peltier coefficients Π are negative, i.e., heat flows in the direction opposite to the drift of Li ions in the applied electric field, large, -Π > 30 kJ mol-1, and increase with increasing temperature at T > 300 K. The Peltier coefficient is approximately constant on time scales that span the characteristic time for mass diffusion across the thickness of the electrolyte, suggesting that heat of transport plays a minor role in comparison to the changes in partial molar entropy of Li at the interface between the electrode and electrolyte. Our work demonstrates a new platform for studying the non-equilibrium thermodynamics of electrochemical cells and provides a window into the transport properties of electrochemical materials through measurements of temperature differences and heat currents that complement traditional measurements of voltages and charge currents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Cheng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Yu-Ju Huang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Beniamin Zahiri
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Patrick Kwon
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Paul V Braun
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - David G Cahill
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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14
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Xu Y, Li Z, Wu L, Dou H, Zhang X. Solvation Engineering via Fluorosurfactant Additive Toward Boosted Lithium-Ion Thermoelectrochemical Cells. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2024; 16:72. [PMID: 38175313 PMCID: PMC10766582 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-023-01292-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Lithium-ion thermoelectrochemical cell (LTEC), featuring simultaneous energy conversion and storage, has emerged as promising candidate for low-grade heat harvesting. However, relatively poor thermosensitivity and heat-to-current behavior limit the application of LTECs using LiPF6 electrolyte. Introducing additives into bulk electrolyte is a reasonable strategy to solve such problem by modifying the solvation structure of electrolyte ions. In this work, we develop a dual-salt electrolyte with fluorosurfactant (FS) additive to achieve high thermopower and durability of LTECs during the conversion of low-grade heat into electricity. The addition of FS induces a unique Li+ solvation with the aggregated double anions through a crowded electrolyte environment, resulting in an enhanced mobility kinetics of Li+ as well as boosted thermoelectrochemical performances. By coupling optimized electrolyte with graphite electrode, a high thermopower of 13.8 mV K-1 and a normalized output power density of 3.99 mW m-2 K-2 as well as an outstanding output energy density of 607.96 J m-2 can be obtained. These results demonstrate that the optimization of electrolyte by regulating solvation structure will inject new vitality into the construction of thermoelectrochemical devices with attractive properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghong Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies, College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 211106, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiwei Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies, College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 211106, People's Republic of China
| | - Langyuan Wu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies, College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 211106, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Dou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies, College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 211106, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaogang Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies, College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 211106, People's Republic of China.
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15
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Shen M, Liu K, Zhang G, Li Q, Zhang G, Zhang Q, Zhang H, Jiang S, Chen Y, Yao K. Thermoelectric coupling effect in BNT-BZT-xGaN pyroelectric ceramics for low-grade temperature-driven energy harvesting. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7907. [PMID: 38036536 PMCID: PMC10689474 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43692-3] [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: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Pyroelectric energy harvesting has received increasing attention due to its ability to convert low-grade waste heat into electricity. However, the low output energy density driven by low-grade temperature limits its practical applications. Here, we show a high-performance hybrid BNT-BZT-xGaN thermal energy harvesting system with environmentally friendly lead-free BNT-BZT pyroelectric matrix and high thermal conductivity GaN as dopant. The theoretical analysis of BNT-BZT and BNT-BZT-xGaN with x = 0.1 wt% suggests that the introduction of GaN facilitates the resonance vibration between Ga and Ti, O atoms, which not only contributes to the enhancement of the lattice heat conduction, but also improves the vibration of TiO6 octahedra, resulting in simultaneous improvement of thermal conductivity and pyroelectric coefficient. Therefore, a thermoelectric coupling enhanced energy harvesting density of 80 μJ cm-3 has been achieved in BNT-BZT-xGaN ceramics with x = 0.1 wt% driven by a temperature variation of 2 oC, at the optical load resistance of 600 MΩ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Shen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Micro-Nanoelectronic Materials and Devices, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Green Preparation and Application for Functional Materials, and School of Microelectronics, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology, and Research), Singapore, 138634, Singapore.
| | - Kun Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Micro-Nanoelectronic Materials and Devices, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Green Preparation and Application for Functional Materials, and School of Microelectronics, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Guanghui Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Micro-Nanoelectronic Materials and Devices, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Green Preparation and Application for Functional Materials, and School of Microelectronics, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Qifan Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Micro-Nanoelectronic Materials and Devices, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Green Preparation and Application for Functional Materials, and School of Microelectronics, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Guangzu Zhang
- School of Optical and Electronic Information and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Qingfeng Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Micro-Nanoelectronic Materials and Devices, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Green Preparation and Application for Functional Materials, and School of Microelectronics, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Green Preparation and Application for Functional Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory of Micro-Nanoelectronic Materials and Devices, Hubei Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
| | - Haibo Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die & Mould Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Shenglin Jiang
- School of Optical and Electronic Information and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Micro-Nanoelectronic Materials and Devices, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Green Preparation and Application for Functional Materials, and School of Microelectronics, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
| | - Kui Yao
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology, and Research), Singapore, 138634, Singapore.
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16
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Li Z, Xu Y, Wu L, Cui J, Dou H, Zhang X. Enabling giant thermopower by heterostructure engineering of hydrated vanadium pentoxide for zinc ion thermal charging cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6816. [PMID: 37884519 PMCID: PMC10603064 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42492-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Flexible power supply devices provide possibilities for wearable electronics in the Internet of Things. However, unsatisfying capacity or lifetime of typical batteries or capacitors seriously limit their practical applications. Different from conventional heat-to-electricity generators, zinc ion thermal charging cells has been a competitive candidate for the self-power supply solution, but the lack of promising cathode materials has restricted the achievement of promising performances. Herein, we propose an attractive cathode material by rational heterostructure engineering of hydrated vanadium pentoxide. Owing to the integration of thermodiffusion and thermoextraction effects, the thermopower is significantly improved from 7.8 ± 2.6 mV K-1 to 23.4 ± 1.5 mV K-1. Moreover, an impressive normalized power density of 1.9 mW m-2 K-2 is achieved in the quasi-solid-state cells. In addition, a wearable power supply constructed by three units can drive the commercial health monitoring system by harvesting body heat. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of electrodes design for wearable thermoelectric applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies, College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 211106, China
| | - Yinghong Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies, College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 211106, China
| | - Langyuan Wu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies, College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 211106, China
| | - Jiaxin Cui
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies, College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 211106, China
| | - Hui Dou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies, College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 211106, China
| | - Xiaogang Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Technologies, College of Material Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 211106, China.
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17
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Han Y, Wei H, Du Y, Li Z, Feng S, Huang B, Xu D. Ultrasensitive Flexible Thermal Sensor Arrays based on High-Thermopower Ionic Thermoelectric Hydrogel. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2302685. [PMID: 37395372 PMCID: PMC10477880 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202302685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Ionic circuits using ions as charge carriers have demonstrated great potential for flexible and bioinspired electronics. The emerging ionic thermoelectric (iTE) materials can generate a potential difference by virtue of selective thermal diffusion of ions, which provide a new route for thermal sensing with the merits of high flexibility, low cost, and high thermopower. Here, ultrasensitive flexible thermal sensor arrays based on an iTE hydrogel consisting of polyquaternium-10 (PQ-10), a cellulose derivative, as the polymer matrix and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as the ion source are reported. The developed PQ-10/NaOH iTE hydrogel achieves a thermopower of 24.17 mV K-1 , which is among the highest values reported for biopolymer-based iTE materials. The high p-type thermopower can be attributed to thermodiffusion of Na+ ions under a temperature gradient, while the movement of OH- ions is impeded by the strong electrostatic interaction with the positively charged quaternary amine groups of PQ-10. Flexible thermal sensor arrays are developed through patterning the PQ-10/NaOH iTE hydrogel on flexible printed circuit boards, which can perceive spatial thermal signals with high sensitivity. A smart glove integrated with multiple thermal sensor arrays is further demonstrated, which endows a prosthetic hand with thermal sensation for human-machine interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Han
- Department of Mechanical and Automation EngineeringThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatin, New TerritoriesHong Kong SARChina
| | - Haoxiang Wei
- Department of Mechanical and Automation EngineeringThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatin, New TerritoriesHong Kong SARChina
| | - Yanjun Du
- Department of Mechanical and Automation EngineeringThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatin, New TerritoriesHong Kong SARChina
| | - Zhigang Li
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong SARChina
| | - Shien‐Ping Feng
- Department of Advanced Design and Systems EngineeringCity University of Hong KongKowloon TongKowloonHong Kong SARChina
| | - Baoling Huang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringThe Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyClear Water BayKowloonHong Kong SARChina
| | - Dongyan Xu
- Department of Mechanical and Automation EngineeringThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatin, New TerritoriesHong Kong SARChina
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18
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Yu B, Duan J. Electrochemical waste-heat harvesting. Science 2023; 381:269-270. [PMID: 37471554 DOI: 10.1126/science.adi8036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
A combined thermal and electrochemical device enhances voltage and hydrogen production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyang Yu
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiangjiang Duan
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Optical and Electronic Information, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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19
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Wang Y, Zhang Y, Xin X, Yang J, Wang M, Wang R, Guo P, Huang W, Sobrido AJ, Wei B, Li X. In situ photocatalytically enhanced thermogalvanic cells for electricity and hydrogen production. Science 2023; 381:291-296. [PMID: 37471552 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg0164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
High-performance thermogalvanic cells have the potential to convert thermal energy into electricity, but their effectiveness is limited by the low concentration difference of redox ions. We report an in situ photocatalytically enhanced redox reaction that generates hydrogen and oxygen to realize a continuous concentration gradient of redox ions in thermogalvanic devices. A linear relation between thermopower and hydrogen production rate was established as an essential design principle for devices. The system exhibited a thermopower of 8.2 millivolts per kelvin and a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of up to 0.4%. A large-area generator (112 square centimeters) consisting of 36 units yielded an open-circuit voltage of 4.4 volts and a power of 20.1 milliwatts, as well 0.5 millimoles of hydrogen and 0.2 millimoles of oxygen after 6 hours of outdoor operation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Center for Nano Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, P. R. China
- Research and Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shenzhen 518057, P. R. China
| | - Youzi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Center for Nano Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, P. R. China
- Research and Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shenzhen 518057, P. R. China
| | - Xu Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Center for Nano Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, P. R. China
- Research and Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shenzhen 518057, P. R. China
| | - Jiabao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Center for Nano Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, P. R. China
- Research and Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shenzhen 518057, P. R. China
| | - Maohuai Wang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Ruiling Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Center for Nano Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, P. R. China
- Research and Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shenzhen 518057, P. R. China
| | - Peng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Center for Nano Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, P. R. China
- Research and Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shenzhen 518057, P. R. China
| | - Wenjing Huang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Ana Jorge Sobrido
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Bingqing Wei
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Xuanhua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Center for Nano Energy Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, P. R. China
- Research and Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Shenzhen 518057, P. R. China
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20
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Zhou Y, Liu X, Jia B, Ding T, Mao D, Wang T, Ho GW, He J. Physics-guided co-designing flexible thermoelectrics with techno-economic sustainability for low-grade heat harvesting. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf5701. [PMID: 36638175 PMCID: PMC9839327 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf5701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Flexible thermoelectric harvesting of omnipresent spatial thermodynamic energy, though promising in low-grade waste heat recovery (<100°C), is still far from industrialization because of its unequivocal cost-ineffectiveness caused by low thermoelectric efficiency and power-cost coupled device topology. Here, we demonstrate unconventional upcycling of low-grade heat via physics-guided rationalized flexible thermoelectrics, without increasing total heat input or tailoring material properties, into electricity with a power-cost ratio (W/US$) enhancement of 25.3% compared to conventional counterparts. The reduced material usage (44%) contributes to device power-cost "decoupling," leading to geometry-dependent optimal electrical matching for output maximization. This offers an energy consumption reduction (19.3%), electricity savings (0.24 kWh W-1), and CO2 emission reduction (0.17 kg W-1) for large-scale industrial production, fundamentally reshaping the R&D route of flexible thermoelectrics for techno-economic sustainable heat harvesting. Our findings highlight a facile yet cost-effective strategy not only for low-grade heat harvesting but also for electronic co-design in heat management/recovery frontiers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Thermoelectric Materials, Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117581, Singapore
| | - Xixi Liu
- Shenzhen Thermo-Electric New Energy Co. Ltd., Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Baohai Jia
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Thermoelectric Materials, Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Tianpeng Ding
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117581, Singapore
| | - Dasha Mao
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Thermoelectric Materials, Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Tiancheng Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Thermoelectric Materials, Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ghim Wei Ho
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117581, Singapore
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575, Singapore
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), Singapore 138632, Singapore
| | - Jiaqing He
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Thermoelectric Materials, Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Photonic-Thermal-Electrical Energy Materials and Devices, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Technologies, Southern University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Shenzhen 518055, China
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21
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Zhou H, Inoue H, Ujita M, Yamada T. Advancement of Electrochemical Thermoelectric Conversion with Molecular Technology. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202213449. [PMID: 36239979 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202213449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Thermocells are a thermoelectric conversion technology that utilizes the shift in an electrochemical equilibrium arising from a temperature difference. This technology has a long history; however, its low conversion efficiency impedes its practical usage. Recently, an increasing number of reports have shown drastic improvements in thermoelectric conversion efficiency, and thermocells could arguably represent an alternative to solid thermoelectric devices. In this Minireview, we regard thermocells as molecular systems consisting of successive molecular processes responding to a temperature change to achieve energy generation. Various molecular technologies have been applied to thermocells in recent years, and could stimulate diverse research fields, including supramolecular chemistry, physical chemistry, electrochemistry, and solid-state ionics. These research approaches will also provide novel methods for achieving a sustainable society in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyao Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Inoue
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Mizuha Ujita
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Teppei Yamada
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
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