Pramanik Subhamay, Mondal Sovanlal, Sadhukhan Riya, Verma Shiv Prakash, Mandal Ajoy, Sengupta Chandan, Goswami Dipak Kumar
School of Nano Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India.
Organic Electronics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2025 Jul 23;17(29):41883-41892. doi: 10.1021/acsami.5c04325. Epub 2025 Jul 14.
The rising global energy demand and environmental concerns necessitate the development of sustainable energy-harvesting technologies. Among these, moisture-enabled nanogenerators (MEGs) have emerged as a promising solution, harnessing ubiquitous moisture in the environment to generate clean energy. MEGs operate through diffusion-induced micro- or nanofluidic proton transport between two electrodes; however, existing devices often produce only transient outputs. Addressing this limitation, we developed a biocompatible MEG utilizing a quasi-solid gelatin matrix and a 2D SnS-based composite, delivering a continuous open-circuit voltage of 0.95 V, a short-circuit current of 241.6 μA, and a power density of approximately 358.6 μW/cm at 90% relative humidity (RH). Furthermore, the device demonstrates the capability to generate electricity from human breath and hand proximity, opening avenues for self-powered medical devices. The fast response of humidity makes it suitable for health monitoring applications in conditions such as sleep apnea, asthma, and respiratory disorders. A comparative performance analysis with other protein/2D material-based MEGs highlights the superior efficiency and stability of our device. The integration of gelatin with SnS enhances energy output while maintaining environmental friendliness, paving the way for next-generation autonomous electronics. This study underscores the potential of biocompatible MEGs in addressing energy challenges through innovative and sustainable approaches.
