Self-powered and speed-adjustable sensor for abyssal ocean current measurements based on triboelectric nanogenerators

The monitoring of currents in the abyssal ocean is an essential foundation of deep-sea research. The state-of-the-art current meter has limitations such as the requirement of a power supply for signal transduction, low pressure resistance, and a narrow measurement range. Here, we report a fully inte...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature communications 2024-07, Vol.15 (1), p.6133-10, Article 6133
Main Authors: Pan, Yuan Chao, Dai, Zhuhang, Ma, Haoxiang, Zheng, Jinrong, Leng, Jing, Xie, Chao, Yuan, Yapeng, Yang, Wencai, Yalikun, Yaxiaer, Song, Xuemei, Han, Chang Bao, Shang, Chenjing, Yang, Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
639/166/987
639/4077/4072/4062
639/925/930
704/829/2737
Abyssal zone
Deep foundations
Deep sea
Deep sea environments
Environmental monitoring
Humanities and Social Sciences
Hydrostatic pressure
Low pressure
Monitoring
multidisciplinary
Nanogenerators
Ocean currents
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Sea currents
Signal transduction
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Summary:The monitoring of currents in the abyssal ocean is an essential foundation of deep-sea research. The state-of-the-art current meter has limitations such as the requirement of a power supply for signal transduction, low pressure resistance, and a narrow measurement range. Here, we report a fully integrated, self-powered, highly sensitive deep-sea current measurement system in which the ultra-sensitive triboelectric nanogenerator harvests ocean current energy for the self-powered sensing of tiny current motions down to 0.02 m/s. Through an unconventional magnetic coupling structure, the system withstands immense hydrostatic pressure exceeding 45 MPa. A variable-spacing structure broadens the measuring range to 0.02–6.69 m/s, which is 67% wider than that of commercial alternatives. The system successfully operates at a depth of 4531 m in the South China Sea, demonstrating the record-deep operations of triboelectric nanogenerator-based sensors in deep-sea environments. Our results show promise for sustainable ocean current monitoring with higher spatiotemporal resolution. This study shows a self-powered deep-sea current measurement system using a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that measures currents from 0.02 to 6.69 m/s and withstands over 45 MPa pressure. Successful operation at 4531 m depth in the South China Sea is demonstrated.
ISSN:2041-1723
2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/s41467-024-50581-w