Generating electrical power from moisture?

[wvt]

hello
recently there was a report about generation of electrical power from moisture. Does someone have some details of this process? Would be interessant to try.
Key points: hygroscopic layer on nanomaterial; charge separation; charge distribution in water drops;

 

[TonyStewart]

Is this your 1st stop ? or have you read https://www.sciencedirect.com/scien...tion,potential, and charged surface potential.

 

[Baluncore]

Welcome to PF.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_battery

 

[TonyStewart]

Thank you for this interesting question. It seems beyond my experience with this emerging energy-harvesting technology called a moisture-enabled electric generator (MEG). This publication seems to cover a diverse range of 3 types of voltaic cells and self-powered sensors. Feel free to ask for more info here with your level of interest.

 

[wvt]

hello, thanks for inviting to further inquiries. honestly, I myself didn't understand the paper in the point, how charge separation exactly works in the special setup. Which kind of charge is carried by the water drops. How do they interact with the walls of the nano material. Does drop size matter?

So a lot of questions. We'll see whether more details will be reported and discussed in the time to come. For me this news is a trigger to occupy bit more with questions of different forms of electro kinetics in general: capillarity, nano generators, triboelectricity - questions that should be pursued with renewed interest within the framework of the debate about new energy resources.

 

[TonyStewart]

I am reading : Ion Diffusion: There is a difference in ion concentration between the moist environment and the solid material, ions will naturally migrate across the material. This migration creates an electrical potential that can be harvested to generate electricity. I suspect the solid must change the pH of the water from 7 acidic or base but then that means degradation to me.
Streaming potential: This could be the triboelectric effects with friction.
Surface charge potential: Chemical reactions? Double Electric Layer effect increases capacitance. High energy 1.5V alkaline to Li Ion cells often have 10 kFarads per cell = These batteries will be far less.