Phyto-inspired sustainable and high-performance fabric generators via moisture absorption-evaporation cycles.

Hu, Yunhao; Yang, Weifeng; Wei, Wei; Sun, Zhouquan; Wu, Bo; Li, Kerui; Li, Yaogang; Zhang, Qinghong et al. · Sci Adv · 2024

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Collecting energy from the ubiquitous water cycle has emerged as a promising technology for power generation. Here, we have developed a sustainable moisture absorption-evaporation cycling fabric (Mac-fabric). On the basis of the cycling unidirectional moisture conduction in the fabric and charge separation induced by the negative charge channel, sustainable constant voltage power generation can be achieved. A single Mac-fabric can achieve a high power output of 0.144 W/m<sup>2</sup> (5.76 × 10<sup>2</sup> W/m<sup>3</sup>) at 40% relative humidity (RH) and 20°C. By assembling 500 series and 300 parallel units of Mac-fabrics, a large-scale demo achieves 350 V of series voltage and 33.76 mA of parallel current at 25% RH and 20°C. Thousands of Mac-fabric units are sewn into a tent to directly power commercial electronic products such as mobile phones in outdoor environments. The lightweight (300 g/m<sup>2</sup>) and soft characteristics of the Mac-fabric make it ideal for large-area integration and energy collection in real circumstances.