AI Article Synopsis

  • Low-grade heat can be converted into electricity using gel-state thermogalvanic cells (GTCs), but these cells struggle with low ionic conductivity and mechanical strength.
  • A new design using bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers improves the thermopower and mechanical properties of GTCs, achieving impressive conductivity and output power.
  • By connecting 15 BC-GTC units, an output voltage of 3.35 V was reached at a 65 K temperature gradient, capable of powering various electronic devices, encouraging sustainable energy solutions.

Article Abstract

Low-grade heat exists ubiquitously in the environment, and gel-state thermogalvanic cells (GTCs) can directly convert thermal energy into electricity by a redox reaction. However, their low ionic conductivity and poor mechanical properties are still insufficient for their potential applications. Here, we designed a bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofiber-macromolecular entanglement network to balance the GTC's thermopower and mechanical properties. Therefore, the BC-GTC shows a Seebeck coefficient of 3.84 mV K, an ionic conductivity of 108.5 mS cm, and a high specific output power density of 1760 μW m K, which are much higher than most current literature. Further connecting 15 units of BC-GTCs, the output voltage of 3.35 V can be obtained at a temperature gradient of 65 K, which can directly power electronic devices such as electronic calculators, thermohydrometers, fans, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This work offers a promising method for developing high-performance and durable GTC in sustainable green energy.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c02870DOI Listing

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