Electrical current nanogeneration driven by spontaneous nanofluidic oscillations

Exploiting natural phenomena is a central route for providing electricity to sustainably drive wearable electronics. Here we report a nano-scale water-driven energy generator that produces tiny electrical currents from spontaneous wetting-drying oscillations in mesoporous thin films. The system was...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Gimenez, Rocio Aldana, Mercuri, Magali, Berli, Claudio Luis Alberto, Bellino, Martin Gonzalo
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2018
País:Argentina
Institución:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repositorio:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/86607
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/86607
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:MESOPOROUS FILMS
NANOFLUIDICS
NANOFLUIDIC OSCILLATIONS
NANODEVICES
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/2.10
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/2
Descripción
Sumario:Exploiting natural phenomena is a central route for providing electricity to sustainably drive wearable electronics. Here we report a nano-scale water-driven energy generator that produces tiny electrical currents from spontaneous wetting-drying oscillations in mesoporous thin films. The system was fabricated with a wormlike mesoporous silica film, which was packed in between Cu and silicon contacts. The nanogenerator runs autonomously when a water droplet is laid over the film close to the Cu electrode, as water infiltration into the film under the electrode produces a direct-current. Wetting-drying cycles, which are spontaneously triggered by water evaporation, are perfectly correlated to the generated electrical current. The autonomous water displacement through the film yields a sustained energy conversion until the droplet reservoir vanishes. This novel water-driven nanogenerator opens new alternatives for versatile, mobile and cost-effective self-powering of nanosystems and nanodevices.