Monolithic Integrated Flexible Yet Robust Droplet-Based Electricity Generator

摘要

Developing robust technologies to harvest energy from ambient environmentsis critical to applications in self-powered electronics. As a promisingcandidate, droplet-based electricity generators with transistor-inspired architecture,which consist of electrodes and dielectric material, have manifestedsuperior capacity to gain sustainable energy from water. Despite extensiveachievement, these devices are significantly limited by insufficient flexibilityand unstable performance owing to the presence of inevitable mechanicalabrasion, chemical corrosion, and interfacial detachment of electrode and dielectricmaterial. Here, a facile approach is reported to construct a monolithicintegrated droplet-based electricity generator (MI-DEG) device that enableshigh flexibility and robust electrical performance. The key to such flexibilityand robustness of the MI-DEG device lies in the meticulous utilization of athermal fusion strategy that makes specially-designed polymer electrodesand dielectric material seamlessly integrated together. It is demonstrated thatMI-DEG exhibits stable electrical output with negligible attenuation underlong-term mechanical deformation and abrasion, as well as retains over 60%of initial electrical output under harsh corrosive environments, as opposedto the complete failure of conventional counterpart. This study provides ahopeful pathway for the rational design of flexible and robust electricity generator,making it a step closer in the practical applications.