Interlayer mediated water motion-induced ionovoltaic electricity generation

Abstract

Water motion-induced energy generation has been studied intensively due to its potential for sustainable green energy harvesting. Although significant research efforts have been dedicated to attaining effective energy generation, the role of the water-permeable interlayer has been largely neglected. Herein, a composite material comprising reduced graphene oxide and cellulose nanofiber (rGO:CNF) is proposed. By embedding water-permeable interlayers, substantial power enhancement and long-term sustainability are observed with the potential to operate as long as sufficient water is supplied. The optimized unit device generates a voltage of 0.72 V and a current of 1.2 µA. Moreover, LED lights as a buoy warning system are prepared by connecting 12 devices in series. The generated power and energy reach 120 μW/cm2 and 133 mWh/cm2 for 53 continuous days, respectively. This finding offers insights behind realizing a high power density and exceptionally durable system through the ionovoltaic effect for expanding the water motion-induced energy harvesting field.