Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2023, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (10): 2306004.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB202306004

Special Issue: Special Issue on the 30th Anniversary of the Center for Nanochemistry at Peking University

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Progress on Power Generation from Gas-Liquid Phase Transformation of Water

Changxiang Shao1,2, Liangti Qu3,*()   

  1. 1 School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, China
    2 Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250117, China
    3 Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
  • Received:2023-06-01 Accepted:2023-07-12 Published:2023-07-17
  • Contact: Liangti Qu E-mail:lqu@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22035005);the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52073159);Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(ZR2022QB227)

Abstract:

Water, as one of the most abundant natural resources on Earth, possesses immense energy potential. Therefore, harnessing useful energy from water has always been a pursuit. With the rapid advancement of nanoscience and nanotechnology, emerging hydrovoltaic technologies have made it possible to extract electricity from various forms of water through nanomaterial-water interactions. Among these technologies, power generation through the gas-liquid phase transformation of water has garnered significant interest, particularly in the context of electricity generation induced by moisture adsorption and water evaporation. Several factors contribute to the importance of this approach. Firstly, water primarily exists on Earth in liquid and gaseous states. As integral components of the Earth's water cycle, the reversible processes of water vaporization and condensation, which involve the gas-liquid phase transformation, are less restricted by factors such as time, space, geographic location, and environment. Therefore, power generation enabled by moisture/evaporation holds promise as a solution to global energy challenges. Secondly, this method of electricity generation occurs spontaneously and requires minimal artificial assistance or intervention. Thirdly, significant advancements have been made in performance output, delivering sustained volt-level voltage and direct current, surpassing previously reported hydrovoltaic phenomena. Lastly, the electricity production process based on renewable water resources emits no greenhouse gases or pollutants. Given its abundant source, high spontaneity, excellent performance, and environmentally friendly nature, moisture/evaporation-induced electricity generation is expected to emerge as a disruptive future energy technology. In light of this, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution and recent progress in electricity generation induced by moisture adsorption and water evaporation. It explores the underlying interaction mechanisms at the water-material interface and discusses various proposed power generation mechanisms, including ion concentration difference-induced diffusion, streaming potential, ionovoltaic effect, and pseudostreaming. Additionally, it introduces various nanomaterial systems, such as carbon-based materials, polymers, solid oxides, metal derivatives, non-metallic semiconductors, and biological membranes. The review also examines device structures and optimization strategies for further enhancement. Furthermore, it outlines the applications of power generators in direct energy supply, self-powered sensing, electronic components, and other fields. Finally, the review addresses the main challenges and future directions of this emerging technology, aiming to provide valuable research ideas for high-performance power generation devices.

Key words: Solid-liquid interaction, Nanomaterials, Moisture-enabled power generation, Evaporation-enabled power generation, Device optimization