Bioinspired double-layer thermogalvanic cells with engineered ionic gradients for high-efficiency waste heat recovery

Abstract

Thermogalvanic cells (TGCs) have emerged as a promising technology for harvesting low-grade thermal energy, but their widespread application has been hindered by limited conversion efficiencies. A critical factor in enhancing TGC performance lies in establishing substantial ion concentration gradients, which remains challenging due to the inherent tendency of ion pairing. Here, we present a double-layer thermogalvanic cell (DTGC) architecture that spatially segregates redox pairs into two distinct gel layers, enabling unprecedented control over ion concentration gradients. This innovative design yields a single p-type gelatin-K₄[Fe(CN)₆]/K₃[Fe(CN)₆] DTGC unit with remarkable performance metrics of an open-circuit voltage of 220 mV, a power density of 1.73 mW m⁻² K⁻², and a relative Carnot efficiency (η_r) of 1.34 % at ΔT = 10 K, representing a tenfold improvement over conventional TGCs. Scaling up this technology, we demonstrate a modular thermoelectric generator comprising a 4 × 12 array of alternating p-type and n-type DTGCs, capable of delivering an output voltage exceeding 11.3 V at ΔT = 20 K, sufficient to directly power commercial LED lights and electronic displays. This work establishes a new paradigm for efficient low-grade thermal energy conversion, offering a scalable and practical solution for waste heat recovery applications.