Advances in research on stretchable underwater electric generator and its application
The research team led by Wang Zhonglin and Li Zhou of the Beijing Institute of Nano-Energy and Systems, Chinese Academy of Sciences and the research team of Fan Yubo, a professor at the Beijing Biomedical Engineering Center for Advanced Engineering, jointly developed a stretchable generator (BSNG, bionic stretchable) nanogenerator) can be used for underwater sensing and energy harvesting. In this work, the researchers imitated the ion channel on the cell membrane of the electric eel power generation organ and constructed a mechanically sensitive bionic channel for controlling the reciprocating movement of the electrified liquid inside the generator, thereby achieving the conversion of electrical energy. Two unique operating modes allow BSNG to achieve an open circuit voltage of more than 10V in a liquid environment and an open circuit voltage of more than 170V under dry conditions. BSNG can be used for human body motion monitoring due to its excellent flexibility, stretchability, mechanical responsiveness and high output performance, providing a promising alternative to new generation wearable electronic devices in dry and liquid environments power supply.
The new generation of wearable electronic devices need to have the characteristics of flexibility, deformability, stretchability, biocompatibility and waterproof. The rapid development of wearable electronic devices urgently needs a matching sustainable power supply. However, how to develop an electric energy conversion device that has good stretchability and can work normally in a variety of complex environments is a big challenge.
Electric eels can generate voltages up to several thousand volts underwater through their unique power generating organs. During a nerve impulse in a power generating cell, when stimulated by a neurotransmitter, the ion channel on the cell membrane opens, sodium ions flow in, and potassium ions flow out, thereby generating a membrane potential of 150 mV. Inspired by the ion channel of the cell membrane on the power generation cell, Li Zhou team used the stress mismatch effect between polydimethylsiloxane and silica gel to design a mechanically sensitive bionic channel and used it to construct a Stretchable generator (BSNG, bionic stretchable nanogenerator). In a working cycle of BSNG, when stimulated by mechanical pulling, the bionic channel is opened, and the electrified liquid inside the generator begins to flow, which generates an open circuit voltage of up to 10V under the coupling effect of the fluid friction and the electrostatic induction.
This electric eel-like stretchable generator is an elastic stretch energy converter that can work normally under water. The silicone layer around the BSNG acts as a thick fat layer similar to electric eels, which acts as insulation and protects the internal bionic structure, ensuring the device's excellent tensile fatigue performance and stable output performance (generator after 50,000 uniaxial tensile tests) Without any attenuation). In addition, BSNG also has good stretchability (elongation rate exceeds 60%) and mechanical responsiveness.
In this work, BSNG can be used as a self-driven sensor. The researchers integrated BSNG with the diving suit and combined with a multi-channel Bluetooth wireless transmission module to construct a set of underwater wireless multi-site human motion monitoring system. Through this system, motion signals under different swimming strokes can be synchronously transmitted, displayed and recorded, and can be used for swimming stroke correction and targeted training. The system can also be used to monitor the movement status of underwater workers, thereby playing an early warning role.
In addition, the research team also built a BSNG-based underwater rescue system for remote distress alert in special situations of underwater danger. The wearer only needs to move underwater for a period of time, and the BSNG fixed at the joint can collect the mechanical energy from human body movement and convert it into electrical energy to be stored in the capacitor. In an emergency, just tap the chest Alarm trigger can remotely light up the rescue signal light. Good stretchability, excellent underwater output performance and excellent tensile fatigue resistance enable BSNG to be used as an underwater self-driving sensor and energy harvesting device, bringing new power to the underwater sustainable power supply of wearable electronic devices opportunity.
The research team led by Wang Zhonglin and Li Zhou has been devoted to the research of self-driven wearable electronic devices. From 2017 to 2019, the research team successfully developed a self-driven wearable pulse sensor that can be used for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases (Advanced Materials, 2017, 1703456); for wearable energy storage devices, it developed graphene based on activated carbon coating Fiber wearable linear supercapacitor (ACS applied materials & interfaces, 2018, 10 (40): 34302-34310); based on the electrostatic effect of the human body, a self-driven system based on the human body static electricity is proposed, which can be used for wearable and implantable Applications related to electronic devices (ACS Nano, 2019,13, (5): 6017-6024); In addition, the research team also summarized and prospected the research and application of wearable and implantable nano-generators in recent years (Advanced Functional Materials, 2019, 1808820).
At present, the team of Li Zhou has achieved a new breakthrough in the research of stretchable energy conversion devices. However, the miniaturization and intelligentization of the devices need to be further resolved. In the future, BSNG is expected to be applied to the active perception of electronic skins, software robots, and the continuous power supply of wearable electronic products and implantable medical devices. In this era of rapid development of the Internet of Things and various new electronic products in parallel, a new era of self-driven energy will soon follow.
Related research results were published in the recent (June 19) international academic journal Nature-Communication (Nature Communications, 2019, 10: 2695) with the title of A bionic stretchable nanogenerator for underwater sensing and energy harvesting. The first authors of the article are Zou Yang, Tan Puchuan and Shi Bojing, and the corresponding authors are Wang Zhonglin, Fan Yubo and Li Zhou. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Key R & D Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Beijing Natural Science Foundation, the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the National Youth Program's "Young Talents" talent project.
Figure 1 Stretchable underwater generator imitating electric eel
Figure 2 BSNG-based underwater wireless motion monitoring system
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