Rational Design of Robust and Efficient Natural Leather-Based Ionic Thermoelectric Detectors for Energy-Autonomous and Anti-scalding

Compared with those traditional initiating devices of anti-scalding systems, ionic thermoelectric sensors with energy-autonomous performance show higher reliability. However, the current ionic thermoelectric materials (i-TEs) suffer from complex nano-/micro-channel design, high production costs, environmentally unfriendly, weak mechanical properties, as well as the low moving speed of ions. Herein, the functional leather collagen fibers-bearing natural channels are employed as the polymer matrixes, while the trisodium citrate (SC) organic acid salt exhibits the function of cationic moving self-enhancement as the primary mobile ions for signaling. Including numerous and suitable nano-/micro-channels together with fast-moving cations, the leather-based i-TEs (LITE), LITE-SC_0.75 M, possess excellent thermoelectric properties, achieving a Seebeck coefficient of 6.23 mV/K, a figure of merit of 0.084, and an energy conversion efficiency of 2.12%. Combined with its excellent thermal stability, mechanical performance, flexibility, durability, low cost, and outstanding capabilities for low-grade heat harvesting and thermal sensing, the LITE-SC_0.75 M detector bearing long service life would show great promise in automatic anti-scalding alarm suitable for multiple scenarios and extreme environments. Therefore, the present work aims to design an efficient, robust, and energy-autonomous leather collagen fibers-based thermoelectric detector to address the limitation of current anti-scalding alarm technology as well as drive advancements in the nano-energy and its effective conversion field.

Graphical Abstract

The robust leather collagen fibers-based ionic thermoelectric (i-TEs) detectors with numerous nano-/micro-channels and fast-moving cations are successfully constructed, which demonstrate great potential for automatic anti-scalding applications in various scenarios and extreme environments