Redox Oscillation Enhanced Water-Enabled Electric Generator

The energy crisis driven by the widespread use of fossil fuels highlights the urgent need for green energy solutions. A variety of green electric generators based on interfacial ion regulation have emerged in recent years. However, conventional electricity generation methods that rely solely on ion movement at interfaces suffer from a rapid decline in electrical signals due to poor ion-electron conversion at the interface. Inspired by the bioelectrical phenomena based on the variations in membrane potential and the glucose oxidation/reduction reactions, a redox oscillation enhanced water-enabled electric generator is herein proposed. The oscillating redox process not only boosts the ion-electron conversion at the interface but also enables the synergy between the non-Faraday current and the Faraday current. As a result, the generator achieves an impressive peak electric output of 1.20 mA cm⁻² and 0.41 W m⁻² for 60 days, outperforming various water-enabled electric generators. Furthermore, this generator can be integrated into a flexible unit for both portable and large-scale applications. This work presents a novel approach for enhancing the output of green energy devices based on interfacial ion migration.