Moisture Power Generation: From Material Selection to Device Structure Optimization

Abstract

Moisture power generation (MPG) technology, producing clean and sustainable energy from a humid environment, has drawn significant attention and research efforts in recent years as a means of easing the energy crisis. Despite the rapid progress, MPG technology still faces numerous challenges with the most significant one being the low power-generating performance of individual MPG devices. In this review, we introduce the background and underlying principles of MPG technology while thoroughly explaining how the selection of suitable materials (carbons, polymers, inorganic salts, etc.) and the optimization of the device structure (pore structure, moisture gradient structure, functional group gradient structure, and electrode structure) can address the existing and anticipated challenges. Furthermore, this review highlights the major scientific and engineering hurdles on the way to advancing MPG technology and offers potential insights for the development of high-performance MPG systems.

Keywords: electrode; functional group gradient; ion diffusion; materials and structures; moisture; moisture gradient; moisture power generator; pore structure; streaming potential.