Bio-Based Flexible Solar-Driven Sustainable Generator with Efficient Electricity Generation Enabled by Plant...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• The global energy crisis necessitates sustainable and scalable electricity generation solutions.
• Bio-based materials offer potential for environmentally friendly energy devices.
• Existing solar-driven power generation methods face challenges in efficiency and durability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a multifunctional bio-based ion conductive elastomer for solar power generation.
• To investigate the material's properties, including stretchability, toughness, and self-healing capabilities.
• To evaluate its performance in water transpiration and ionic power generation under solar illumination.

Main Methods:

• Engineered synergy among epoxy natural rubber, cellulose nanofibrils, lithium bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonimide, and eumelanin.
• Fabrication of a flexible film with specific thermal and hygroscopic properties.
• Characterization of mechanical, electrical, and self-healing performance.
• Assessment of water evaporation rate and output voltage under light illumination.

Main Results:

• The bio-based film achieved outstanding stretchability (1072%) and toughness (22.7 MJ m⁻³).
• It demonstrated efficient solar-driven water transpiration with an evaporation rate of 2.83 kg m⁻² h⁻¹.
• The device generated an output voltage of 0.47 V with a conductivity of 5.11 × 10⁻² S m⁻¹.
• Remarkable photothermal self-healing was observed, achieving 99.6% healing efficiency in saline environments.

Conclusions:

• The developed multifunctional bio-based elastomer shows significant promise for sustainable solar-driven ionic power generation.
• Its unique properties, including flexibility, photothermal self-healing, and efficient energy conversion, address key challenges in renewable energy.
• The material's performance in saline conditions highlights its potential for diverse environmental applications.