Hydrovoltaic–piezoelectric hybridized device for microdroplet-pressure dual energy harvesting and piezo sensing

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Switzerland : 1996), 2024-09, Vol.496, p.154164, Article 154164
• Main Authors: Dinh Trung, Vuong, Le, Phuoc-Anh, Natsuki, Jun, Zhao, Weili, Viet Bac Phung, Thi, Tan, Jing, Yang, Weimin, Natsuki, Toshiaki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Hybridized device; Hydrovoltaic capacitor; Piezoelectric; Sensor system; Solid-state battery
• ISSN: 1385-8947
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.154164

[Display omitted] •A hybrid device effectively harvests both microdroplet and deformation energies.•Piezo sensing and storage performances enhanced via BaTiO3 embedding in electrolyte.•An effective pathway for recycling end-of-life batteries is established.•Device lifespan is increased by controlling the redox reactions and self-corrosion.•Operation of a human-based piezoelectric nanogenerator and sensor is demonstrated. Previous droplet-based nanogenerators have made significant advancements in mechanical energy harvesting from liquid–solid contact electrification. However, these generators still face certain issues, such as neglecting substrate deformation energy, inability to store energy, and surface deterioration due to continuous impact of droplets, thus narrowing the scope of their potential applications. Here, a novel hydrovoltaic-piezoelectric hybridized device (HPeD) is reported that integrates hydrocapacitor, aluminum–air (Al–air) battery, and piezoelectric nanogenerator technologies through a green design strategy, which can effectively address the proposed problems. Impinged by a 40-μL water droplet, the HPeD yields a potential window of 1.54 V within approximately 1 min, further boosting to 1.86 V under external vertical pressure. The generated energy was greatly stored for up to 5.7 days. This all-solid-state device effectively inhibits electrolyte leakage during idle periods and controls reversible reactions to minimize corrosion, thereby extending its lifespan. Furthermore, the HPeD is successfully used as a piezoelectric nanogenerator/sensor that can operate continuously to detect external mechanical stimulus. In piezo sensor mode, the device demonstrated good sensitivity of 0.098 kPa−1 in the low-pressure range (0–8.2 kPa), a remarkable response/relaxation time of 0.3 s, and durability lasting over 8000 cycles. This study paves the way for the advancement of next-generation flexible hybrid devices capable of multifunctionality in both energy harvesting and sensing.