A Self-Powered pH Sensing Method Based on a Triboelectric Nanogenerator: An Innovative Application in Marine Ranch...

Area of Science:

• Marine engineering
• Materials science
• Environmental monitoring

Background:

• Intelligent aquaculture requires robust water quality monitoring.
• Energy supply for remote marine sensors is a significant challenge.
• Self-powered sensing technology offers a potential solution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a self-powered sensing system for marine environments.
• To address limitations of existing triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) technology in marine conditions.
• To enable real-time water quality monitoring in marine ranching.

Main Methods:

• Proposed a capsule-structured, solid-solid/solid-liquid mixed-mode triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG).
• Coupled contact electrification and bilayer effect for energy harvesting from wind and waves.
• Developed theoretical models for energy conversion and pH sensing.
• Optimized TENG structure for enhanced pH monitoring performance.

Main Results:

• The capsule-type dual-mode TENG (CD-TENG) achieved an open-circuit voltage of 50 V and short-circuit current of 25 μA.
• Demonstrated a peak power density of 0.35 W/m².
• The system enables sustained operation of low-power microelectronics for monitoring.

Conclusions:

• The CD-TENG effectively harvests ambient marine energy (wind and wave).
• The developed TENG system provides a viable solution for self-powered water quality monitoring in marine ranching.
• This technology supports intelligent aquaculture and environmental health management.