Jianwu Wang, Yonghui Zhang, Xiaokai Li, Zhengyu Li, Yuheng Li, Jiahao Zhang, Xin Liu, Jing Sun and Huanxi Zheng
{"title":"用于生物机械能转换和传感的微通道受限液滴发电机","authors":"Jianwu Wang, Yonghui Zhang, Xiaokai Li, Zhengyu Li, Yuheng Li, Jiahao Zhang, Xin Liu, Jing Sun and Huanxi Zheng","doi":"10.1039/D5LC00662G","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p >Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are positioned as a critical sustainable power solution for harvesting low-frequency mechanical energy or sensing. Although solid–solid contact-based TENGs can provide sustainable power to diminish external battery reliance and enhance portability and operational longevity, suboptimal energy output at low-frequency excitation, irreversible material damage under long-term operation and inadequate energy supply remain a challenge. Solid–liquid contact-based TENGs present an alternative approach, but rigid and bulky configurations hinder their integration toward wearable devices and the development of real applications. To address these challenges, we propose a flexible microchannel-confined droplet-based electricity generator (MC-DEG). By enclosing droplet chains in a flexible microfluidic channel and employing a dual-drain electrode structure (inspired by transistor design), the device achieves dual-peak electrical output that efficiently releases electrostatic induction charge accumulation during liquid reciprocation. This design enhances charge collection efficiency by >75% compared to single-electrode systems. The MC-DEG's output is tunable <em>via</em> structural parameters (<em>e.g.</em>, source electrode dimensions) and external excitation. Its miniaturized closed system enables wearable integration, eliminating external droplet dependency while simultaneously enabling biomechanical energy conversion (<em>e.g.</em>, human motion) and monitoring physiological signals, which provides a potential strategy for the development of emerging wearable application devices.</p>","PeriodicalId":85,"journal":{"name":"Lab on a Chip","volume":" 19","pages":" 4934-4942"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Microchannel-confined droplet-based electricity generator for biomechanical energy conversion and sensing\",\"authors\":\"Jianwu Wang, Yonghui Zhang, Xiaokai Li, Zhengyu Li, Yuheng Li, Jiahao Zhang, Xin Liu, Jing Sun and Huanxi Zheng\",\"doi\":\"10.1039/D5LC00662G\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<p >Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are positioned as a critical sustainable power solution for harvesting low-frequency mechanical energy or sensing. Although solid–solid contact-based TENGs can provide sustainable power to diminish external battery reliance and enhance portability and operational longevity, suboptimal energy output at low-frequency excitation, irreversible material damage under long-term operation and inadequate energy supply remain a challenge. Solid–liquid contact-based TENGs present an alternative approach, but rigid and bulky configurations hinder their integration toward wearable devices and the development of real applications. To address these challenges, we propose a flexible microchannel-confined droplet-based electricity generator (MC-DEG). By enclosing droplet chains in a flexible microfluidic channel and employing a dual-drain electrode structure (inspired by transistor design), the device achieves dual-peak electrical output that efficiently releases electrostatic induction charge accumulation during liquid reciprocation. This design enhances charge collection efficiency by >75% compared to single-electrode systems. The MC-DEG's output is tunable <em>via</em> structural parameters (<em>e.g.</em>, source electrode dimensions) and external excitation. Its miniaturized closed system enables wearable integration, eliminating external droplet dependency while simultaneously enabling biomechanical energy conversion (<em>e.g.</em>, human motion) and monitoring physiological signals, which provides a potential strategy for the development of emerging wearable application devices.</p>\",\"PeriodicalId\":85,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Lab on a Chip\",\"volume\":\" 19\",\"pages\":\" 4934-4942\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":5.4000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-08-26\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Lab on a Chip\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"5\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/lc/d5lc00662g\",\"RegionNum\":2,\"RegionCategory\":\"工程技术\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q1\",\"JCRName\":\"BIOCHEMICAL RESEARCH METHODS\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Lab on a Chip","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/lc/d5lc00662g","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOCHEMICAL RESEARCH METHODS","Score":null,"Total":0}
Microchannel-confined droplet-based electricity generator for biomechanical energy conversion and sensing
Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are positioned as a critical sustainable power solution for harvesting low-frequency mechanical energy or sensing. Although solid–solid contact-based TENGs can provide sustainable power to diminish external battery reliance and enhance portability and operational longevity, suboptimal energy output at low-frequency excitation, irreversible material damage under long-term operation and inadequate energy supply remain a challenge. Solid–liquid contact-based TENGs present an alternative approach, but rigid and bulky configurations hinder their integration toward wearable devices and the development of real applications. To address these challenges, we propose a flexible microchannel-confined droplet-based electricity generator (MC-DEG). By enclosing droplet chains in a flexible microfluidic channel and employing a dual-drain electrode structure (inspired by transistor design), the device achieves dual-peak electrical output that efficiently releases electrostatic induction charge accumulation during liquid reciprocation. This design enhances charge collection efficiency by >75% compared to single-electrode systems. The MC-DEG's output is tunable via structural parameters (e.g., source electrode dimensions) and external excitation. Its miniaturized closed system enables wearable integration, eliminating external droplet dependency while simultaneously enabling biomechanical energy conversion (e.g., human motion) and monitoring physiological signals, which provides a potential strategy for the development of emerging wearable application devices.
期刊介绍:
Lab on a Chip is the premiere journal that publishes cutting-edge research in the field of miniaturization. By their very nature, microfluidic/nanofluidic/miniaturized systems are at the intersection of disciplines, spanning fundamental research to high-end application, which is reflected by the broad readership of the journal. Lab on a Chip publishes two types of papers on original research: full-length research papers and communications. Papers should demonstrate innovations, which can come from technical advancements or applications addressing pressing needs in globally important areas. The journal also publishes Comments, Reviews, and Perspectives.