Harvesting Energy Via Water Movement and Surface Ionics in Microfibrous Ceramic Wools

Abstract

Due to the push for carbon neutrality in various human activities, the development of methods for producing electricity without relying on chemical reaction processes or heat sources has become highly significant. Also, the challenge lies in achieving microwatt-scale outputs due to the inherent conductivity of the materials and diverting electric currents. To address this challenge, our research has concentrated on utilizing nonconductive mediums for water-based low-cost microfibrous ceramic wools in conjunction with a NaCl aqueous solution for power generation. The main source of electricity originates from the directed movement of water molecules and surface ions through densely packed microfibrous ceramic wools due to the effect of dynamic electric double layer. This occurrence bears resemblance to the natural water transpiration in plants, thereby presenting a fresh and straightforward approach for producing electricity in an ecofriendly manner. The generator module demonstrated in this study, measuring 12 × 6 cm², exhibited a noteworthy open-circuit voltage of 0.35 V, coupled with a short-circuit current of 0.51 mA. Such low-cost ceramic wools are suitable for ubiquitous, permanent energy sources and hold potential for use as self-powered sensors and systems, eliminating the requirement for external energy sources such as sunlight or heat.

Keywords

ceramic microfibers / energy harvesting / power generation / self-powered systems / water evaporation

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2024 The Authors. Energy & Environmental Materials published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Zhengzhou University.