A Moisture‐Induced Electric Generator with High Output Voltage for Self‐Powered Wearable Electronics

• Published in: ChemNanoMat : chemistry of nanomaterials for energy, biology and more biology and more, 2022-12, Vol.8 (12), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Dinh Trung, Vuong, Chen, Si, Xia, Hong, Natsuki, Toshiaki, Ni, Qing‐Qing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: electric generator; energy storage; graphene oxide; moisture adsorption; wearability
• ISSN: 2199-692X; 2199-692X
• DOI: 10.1002/cnma.202200395

Harnessing energy from ubiquitous moisture is of intense interest because of its considerable potential in self‐powered wearable electronics. However, most existing moisture‐electric generators (MEGs) have poor output voltage, which limits their application possibility. Herein, a novel moisture‐induced electric generator (MIEG) is successfully fabricated with highly‐efficient electric generation by simply bridging a graphene oxide (GO) film and a bilayer graphene oxide/graphite (GOGH) composite film by a polyvinyl alcohol‐phosphoric acid electrolyte gel. The GO film can effectively boost conductive ion diffusion in the electrolyte channel under moisture adsorption while the bilayer GOGH film enhances a potential between two electrodes and output results based on its hydrophilic GO layer and good conductive graphite layer. These availabilities result in an elevated voltage of 1.1 V and a high current of 25.4 μA (254 μA.cm−2), among the high‐level reported outputs. More excitingly, the device also extends without limit by integrating the MIEG cells into a series or parallel topology. As a breakthrough, MIEG is successfully used as a self‐powered wearable device by finger‐surface contact, proximity‐sensitive touchpads, and a human‐breathing transducer. This work not only opens a new futuristic clean power generation in moisture energy harvesting but also facilitates the development of new innovative, flexible electronics. A novel moisture‐induced electric generator (MIEG) with continuous output has been achieved. This phenomenon results from efficiently boosting ion diffusion and additional difference H+ between two electrodes caused by graphene oxide‐based material under moisture adsorption. The MIEG is also successfully used as a self‐powered wearable device by inger‐surface contact, proximity‐sensitive touchpads, and a breathing energy transducer.