journal article·2025-12

Self‐Sustained Electricity Generation from Ambient Moisture Enabled by Step‐Gradient Polysaccharide Films

Lei Yi, Quanmao Wei, Yingqi Hou, Jinhe Shi, Shichao Niu, Shile Feng, Yahua Liu, Yu Sun, Lei Zhao

Advanced Functional Materials· Volume 35· Issue 51
Publisher page

Abstract

Abstract Moisture electricity generator (MEG) has emerged as a promising technology to directly harvest energy from the ambient atmosphere. However, their practical applications remain limited by inefficient ion transport. In this work, a high‐performance, polysaccharide‐based step‐gradient MEG (SG‐MEG) is presented, fabricated by the sequential multilayer casting‐drying of polysaccharide materials with varying functional group densities. This design creates an intrinsic step‐wise ionic gradient, promoting ion dissociation and diffusion. As a result, a single unit can sustain an open‐circuit voltage of 0.78 V for over 1300 h, a milliamp‐scale short‐circuit current density of 1.1 mA cm −2 and an improved power density of 15.49 µW cm −2 (1291 W m⁻ 3 ), representing a ten‐fold enhancement compared to conventional MEG. Numerical simulations and experimental analyses confirm that the enhanced performance arises from the high functionalization of polysaccharide and the facilitated ion diffusion enabled by the step gradient.The multifunctionality of SG‐MEG is demonstrated in practical applications, including self‐powered respiration monitoring, direct powering of low‐power electronics, and integration with energy storage systems for autonomous devices such as a self‐cruising boat and a water‐level alarm. This work offers a new paradigm for the design of high‐performance, bio‐based MEGs and advances their application.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Solar-Powered Water Purification Methods · Advanced Materials and Mechanics

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

State Key Laboratory of High‐performance Precision Manufacturing Dalian University of Technology Dalian 116024 P. R. China

Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems Dalian University of Technology Dalian 116024 P. R. China

The Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education) Jilin University Changchun 130022 P. R. China

Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5S 3G8 Canada

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China · Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province

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