Toward Droplet Energy Harvesting in Harsh Environment: Mechanical Buckling-Induced 3D Structured Droplet-Based...

Opening new horizons for droplet-based energy harvesters, droplet-based electricity generators (DEGs) face several obstacles, such as deficient current output and vulnerability to the external environment. In this study, a droplet-based electricity multigenerator (DEMG) subserved by an electromagnetic generator (EMG) is proposed to tackle them. By introducing a mechanical buckling-induced 3D structure, the DEMG is designed to have a sufficiently high figure of merit for flexibility/elasticity to harvest electric energy from droplets. Thanks to the hybrid effect of EMG, the total amount of induced charge from DEMG is enhanced by more than 8809% compared with that from DEG only. Furthermore, a continuous energy supply is expected from DEMG even under dusty and humid conditions. This study not only provides a pathway to overcome the inherent limitations of conventional DEGs but also paves the way for efficient droplet energy harvesting technologies applicable in diverse environmental conditions.