Chen Jianhao, Shi Chaosheng, Wu Lian, Deng Yuchan, Wang Yaozhi, Zhang Lei, Zhang Qiao, Peng Feng, Tao Xiao-Ming, Zhang Mingqiu, Zeng Wei
Department of Flexible Sensing Technology, Institute of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510665, China.
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2022 Aug 3;14(30):34714-34721. doi: 10.1021/acsami.2c07423. Epub 2022 Jul 25.
Harvesting low-grade heat by an ionic hydrogel thermoelectric generator (ITEG) into useful electricity is promising to power flexible electronics. However, the poor environmental tolerance of the ionic hydrogel limits its application. Herein, we demonstrate an ITEG with high thermoelectric properties, as well as excellent capabilities of water retention, freezing resistance, and self-regeneration. The obtained ITEG can maintain the original water content at ambient conditions (302 K, 65% relative humidity (RH)) for 7 days and keep unfreezing at a low temperature (253 K). It can even be self-regenerated and recovered to its original state after a water loss in high-temperature conditions. Furthermore, a high ionic Seebeck coefficient of 11.3 mV K and an impressive power density of 167.90 mW m are achieved under a temperature difference of 20 K. A high power density of 60.00 mW m can also be maintained even at 258 K. After drying and regeneration, ITEG-re could even exhibit a higher ionic Seebeck coefficient of 11.8 mV K. Successful lighting of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and charging of capacitors demonstrate the great potential of ITEG to provide continuous energy supply for powering flexible electronics.
利用离子水凝胶热电发电机（ITEG）收集低品位热能并转化为有用电能，有望为柔性电子设备供电。然而，离子水凝胶较差的环境耐受性限制了其应用。在此，我们展示了一种具有高热电性能以及出色保水、抗冻和自再生能力的ITEG。所获得的ITEG在环境条件（302 K，65%相对湿度（RH））下可保持原始含水量7天，并在低温（253 K）下不结冰。它甚至可以自再生，并在高温条件下失水后恢复到原始状态。此外，在20 K的温差下，实现了11.3 mV K的高离子塞贝克系数和167.90 mW m的可观功率密度。即使在258 K时，也能保持60.00 mW m的高功率密度。干燥和再生后，ITEG-re甚至可以表现出更高的11.8 mV K的离子塞贝克系数。发光二极管（LED）的成功点亮和电容器的充电证明了ITEG为柔性电子设备提供持续能量供应的巨大潜力。
