Bio-Inspired Robust Non-combustible Bioplastic with Superinsulated Energy Harvesting for Intelligent Firefighting

Abstract

The integration of bioplastics with Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs) enables environmentally friendly energy harvesting, but their combustibility and inefficiency restrict their application in high-temperature environments. Herein, inspired by lotus leaves, a robust, heat-resistant, chitosan-based bioplastic is developed via an ethanol-induced surface association (EISA) effect for superinsulated multifunctional TENGs. This approach created a surface topological structure of the bioplastic with a high charge density and large contact area on the upper surface, complemented by a smooth lower surface. The unique structure and intrinsic nitrogen-phosphorus synergy endowed the bioplastic with enhanced energy harvesting ability, superior mechanical strength and exceptional non-combustibility (limiting oxygen index exceeds 70%, UL94 V-0 rating). With these attributes, a noncombustible bioplastic-based TENG with ultra heat-resistance (above 200 °C), excellent stress- and temperature-sensitivity, along with high energy harvesting capacity is designed. It enables stable high electrical output even when exposed to external fire sources and facilitates temperature and stress monitoring in fire scenarios. Overall, this study presents a promising approach to designing super flame-retardant bioplastic-based TENG with temperature and stress sensitivity, suitable for intelligent firefighting applications such as early fire detection, fire scene monitoring, and firefighter hazard alerts.

Keywords

energy harvesting / intelligent firefighting / multimodal sensing / non-combustible bioplastic / surface association

References

[1] S. Nanda, B. R. Patra, R. Patel, J. Bakos, A. K. Dalai, Environ. Chem. Lett. 2022, 20, 379.

[2] H. Heidari, Nat. Electron. 2018, 1, 578.

[3] S. Khan, S. Parkinson, L. Grant, N. Liu, S. Mcguire, ACM Comput. Surv. 2020, 53(4), 1.

[4] F. R. Fan, W. Tang, Z. L. Wang, Adv. Mater. 2016, 28, 4283.

[5] Y. Yang, H. Zhang, Z. L. Wang, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2014, 24, 3745.

[6] F.-R. Fan, Z.-Q. Tian, Z. L. Wang, Nano Energy 2012, 1, 328.

[7] X. Cao, Y. Xiong, J. Sun, X. Xie, Q. Sun, Z. L. Wang, Nano-Micro Lett. 2023, 15, 14.

[8] T. Cheng, J. Shao, Z. L. Wang, Nat. Rev. Methods Primers 2023, 3, 39.

[9] S. S. Rana, O. Faruk, M. R. Islam, T. Yasmin, K. Zaman, Z. L. Wang, Coord. Chem. Rev. 2024, 507, 215741.

[10] X. Shi, P. Chen, K. Han, C. Li, R. Zhang, J. Luo, Z. L. Wang, J. Mater. Chem. A 2023, 11, 11730.

[11] S. A. Basith, G. Khandelwal, D. M. Mulvihill, A. Chandrasekhar, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2024, 34, 2408708.

[12] J.-G. Rosenboom, R. Langer, G. Traverso, Nat. Rev. Mater. 2022, 7, 117.

[13] R. Altman, Science 2021, 373, 47.

[14] H. Iyer, P. Grandgeorge, A. M. Jimenez, I. R. Campbell, M. Parker, M. Holden, M. Venkatesh, M. Nelsen, B. Nguyen, E. Roumeli, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2023, 33, 2302067.

[15] D. Wu, J. Qi, Q. Li, J. Chen, Y. Chen, J. Chen, Environ. Sci. Technol. 2021, 55, 7299.

[16] M. Pflieger, A. Kroflič, J. Hazard. Mater. 2017, 338, 132.

[17] T. Nezakati, A. Seifalian, A. Tan, A. M. Seifalian, Chem. Rev. 2018, 118, 6766.

[18] Y. Chen, Q. Zhang, Y. Zhong, P. Wei, X. Yu, J. Huang, J. Cai, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2021, 31, 2104368.

[19] X. Ma, X. Lin, C. Chang, B. Duan, ACS Nano 2024, 18, 8906.

[20] Y. Xu, S. Liu, S. Xu, G. Liu, G. Li, Chem. Eng. J. 2024, 500, 156960.

[21] X. Liu, X. Gu, J. Sun, S. Zhang, Carbohydr. Polym. 2017, 167, 356.

[22] X. Kang, Z. Lu, W. Feng, J. Wang, X. Fang, Y. Xu, Y. Wang, B. Liu, T. Ding, Y. Ma, Adv. Compos. Hybrid Mater. 2021, 4, 127.

[23] R. Oliwa, M. Heneczkowski, M. Oleksy, H. Galina, Compos. Part B 2016,

[24] W. Zhang, J. Barrio, C. Gervais, A. Kocjan, A. Yu, X. Wang, M. Shalom, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 9764.

[25] J. Chen, Z. Liu, S. Qiu, Y. Li, J. Sun, H. Li, X. Gu, S. Zhang, Chem. Eng. J. 2023, 472, 145000.

[26] Y. Chen, Y. Meng, J. Zhang, Y. Xie, H. Guo, M. He, X. Shi, Y. Mei, X. Sheng, D. Xie, Nano-Micro Lett. 2024, 16, 196.

[27] P. Li, B. Wang, Y.-Y. Liu, Y.-J. Xu, Z.-M. Jiang, C.-H. Dong, L. Zhang, Y. Liu, P. Zhu, Carbohydr. Polym. 2020, 237, 116173.

[28] A. Ahmed, M. F. El-Kady, I. Hassan, A. Negm, A. M. Pourrahimi, M. Muni, P. R. Selvaganapathy, R. B. Kaner, Nano Energy 2019, 59, 336.

[29] J. Luo, X. Shi, P. Chen, K. Han, X. Li, X. Cao, Z. L. Wang, Mater. Today Phys. 2022, 27, 100798.

[30] Y. Zhang, X. Cao, Z. L. Wang, Nano Energy 2023, 108, 108210.

[31] J. An, Z. M. Wang, T. Jiang, X. Liang, Z. L. Wang, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2019, 29, 1904867.

[32] L. Dong, J. Zhu, H. Li, J. Zhang, D. Zhao, Z. L. Wang, L. Gu, T. Cheng, Nano Energy 2024, 127, 109783.

[33] X. Li, C. Jiang, Y. Ying, J. Ping, Adv. Energy Mater. 2020, 10, 2002001.

[34] S. S. Rana, Z. L. Wang, Coord. Chem. Rev. 2025, 543, 216914.

[35] J. Aizenberg, P. Fratzl, Adv. Mater. 2009, 21, 387.

[36] T.-S. Wong, S. H. Kang, S. K. Tang, E. J. Smythe, B. D. Hatton, A. Grinthal, J. Aizenberg, Nature 2011, 477, 443.

[37] H. Wang, R. Shang, J. Chen, X. Jin, K. Chen, B. Huang, H. Chen, Q.-L. Lu, Nano Energy 2024, 128, 109843.

[38] W. Wang, D. Faulkner, J. Moir, G. A. Ozin, Sci. China Chem. 2011, 54, 1920.

[39] S. Y. Leo, Y. Ni, C. Xu, Y. Zhang, Y. Dai, P. Qi, A. T. Xie, V. Basile, C. Taylor, P. Jiang, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2017, 27, 1703522.

[40] Z. Wang, G. Hou, J. Xie, Z. Zhang, X. Zhang, J. Cai, Adv. Compos. Hybrid Mater. 2023, 6, 128.

[41] X. Cheng, L. Shi, Z. Fan, Y. Yu, R. Liu, Polym. Degrad. Stab. 2022, 199, 109898.

[42] J. Chu, W. Wu, Y. Wei, Z. L. Wang, X. Chen, L. Zhang, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2024, 34, 2402520.

[43] H. Chen, J. Zhou, S. Liu, S. Wang, X. Gong, Nano Energy 2022, 102, 107634.

[44] Z. Zhang, Z. Zhou, J. Huang, Y. Wang, J. Mater. Chem. A 2024, 12, 6050.

[45] K. Ingtipi, B. J. Choudhury, V. S. Moholkar, Carbohydr. Polym. 2023, 313, 120871.

[46] C. Flores, M. Lopez, N. Tabary, C. Neut, F. Chai, D. Betbeder, C. Herkt, F. Cazaux, V. Gaucher, B. Martel, Carbohydr. Polym. 2017, 173, 535.

[47] H. Hamaguchi, M. Tasumi, M. Yoshifuji, N. Inamoto, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1984, 106, 508.

[48] W.-J. Yang, C.-X. Wei, A. C. Y. Yuen, B. Lin, G. H. Yeoh, H.-D. Lu, W. Yang, Compos. Part B Eng. 2022, 237, 109866.

[49] Q. Jiang, P. Li, Y. Liu, P. Zhu, Compos. Part B Eng. 2022, 239, 109958.

[50] K.-C. Tsai, J. Hazard. Mater. 2009, 172, 763.

[51] M. Wan, C. Shi, X. Qian, Y. Qin, J. Jing, H. Che, F. Ren, J. Li, B. Yu, K. Zhou, Chem. Eng. J. 2023, 459, 141448.

[52] C. Liu, H. Zhang, R. Xiao, S. Wu, Carbohydr. Polym. 2017, 156, 118.

[53] B. Zou, Z. Qian, Z. Zhang, W. Xing, S. Zhong, J. Li, F. Chu, Y. Kan, J. Chen, Y. Hu, Compos. Part B Eng. 2024, 279, 111413.

[54] B. Huang, M. Liu, C. Zhou, Carbohydr. Polym. 2017, 175, 689.

[55] W. Cai, B. Lin, L. Qi, T. Cui, Z. Li, J. Wang, S. Li, C. Cao, M. Z. Rahman, X. Hu, Chem. Eng. J. 2024, 488, 150784.

[56] T. Zhang, H. Yan, L. Shen, Z. Fang, X. Zhang, J. Wang, B. Zhang, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2014, 53, 19199.

[57] T. Wang, J. Xu, Y.-J. Zhan, L. He, J. Deng, Z.-C. Fu, H.-B. Zhao, M.-J. Chen, ACS Sustain. Chem. Eng. 2023, 11, 4838.

[58] H. Wang, Y. Yin, Z. Su, C. Chen, L. Zhang, C. Wang, W. Yang, Y. Huang, P. Xu, P. Ma, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2024, 34, 2311649.

[59] L. Zhang, Y. Liao, Y. C. Wang, S. Zhang, W. Yang, X. Pan, Z. L. Wang, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2020, 30, 2001763.

[60] Z. Yu, Z. Zhu, Y. Zhang, X. Li, X. Liu, Y. Qin, Z. Zheng, L. Zhang, H. He, Carbohydr. Polym. 2024, 334, 122040.

Rights & permissions

2026 The Author(s). Energy & Environmental Materials published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Zhengzhou University.