Self-powered and speed-adjustable sensor for abyssal ocean current measurements based on triboelectric nanogenerators.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39033189.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-50581-w and PMC identifier 11271462.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
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.