Thermoelectric-based sensors with
multifunctional sensing properties
that can recognize different stimulations in a self-powered environment
by converting low-grade heat into electrical energy have attracted
increasing attention. However, the current thermoelectric-based multifunctional
sensors are faced with issues such as limited preparation methods,
complex structural designs, and hard decoupling, which greatly hinder
their further development in the field of wearable electronics. Herein,
we have fabricated novel free-standing self-powered temperature-strain
sensors based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrenesulfonate
(PEDOT:PSS)/carbon nanotube (CNT)/waterborne polyurethane (WPU) composite
films through a simple drop-casting method. The composite films can
maintain stable thermoelectric performance after washing 1000 times
and withstand repeated bending and stretching. More importantly, based
on the Seebeck effect arising from PEDOT:PSS/CNT composites, the assembled
sensor successfully detects temperature changes and strain deformations
under a self-powered condition. The decoupling of strain stimulation
and temperature stimulation is mainly attributed to the good conductive
network inside the composite film and the conductive bridge formed
by PEDOT:PSS particles between CNTs when the composite film is stretched.
Thus, the designed self-powered sensor with dual-parameter sensing
prepared by a simple strategy has shown great potential in wearable
electronics.
Stretchable thermoelectrics have recently attracted widespread attention in the field of self-powered wearable electronics due to their unique capability of harvesting body heat. However, it remains challenging to develop thermoelectric materials with excellent stretchability, durable thermoelectric properties, wearable comfort, and multifunctional sensing properties simultaneously.
The
textile industry has been considered as one of the polluting
industries, producing a large amount of textile waste and CO2 emissions each year. Recycling of waste fabric has attracted more
research interest in recent years. Herein, renewable polydopamine
(PDA)-functionalized cellulose aerogels (CAs) have been designed by
a feasible and green way for clean water generation. With the polymerization
of PDA on the surface, which possesses excellent photothermal conversion
performance and water purification ability, the resulting CA could
achieve a high light absorption of 96.5% with the evaporation rate
of 2.74 kg m–2 h–1 under 1 sun.
Meanwhile, the solar steam generator with the increasing height can
absorb energy from adjacent ambient air to strengthen the vapor generation.
The features of renewable CAs can achieve efficient water evaporation,
which combined with their low material cost and recycling, offer promise
in reducing not only energy consumption but also the environmental
footprint of cotton textiles.
Due to the abundance and easy availability of solar energy resources, solar-driven water evaporation provides a sustainable way to obtain clean water from wastewater and seawater. However, achieving a high evaporation rate with excellent light absorption remains a critical challenge in the structural regulation of evaporators. Herein, inspired by the natural transpiration process in plants (blue spruce), we designed a three-dimensional (3D) cone-shaped solar steam generator based on vertical polypyrrole nanowires-coated fabric (VPPyNWs-fabric). The microstructure design of polypyrrole (PPy) increases the solar energy absorption of the incident light through multiple reflections between the VPPyNWs, while the macrostructure design of the 3D evaporator possesses an enlarged surface area for energy harvesting, wide path for water supply, and open structure for vapor diffusion. As a proof of concept, the as-obtained 3D VPPyNWs-fabric-based solar steam generator demonstrates a fast water evaporation rate of 2.32 kg m −2 h −1 with high solar absorption of 97% and solar-tovapor conversion efficiency of 98.56% at 1 kW m −2 energy density. In addition, the solar steam generator can be steadily applied in various water conditions, e.g., seawater, dye wastewater, and acidic and alkaline wastewater. This high-performance evaporator via 3D macro-and microstructure design offers a new avenue for better utilization of solar energy.
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