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Efficient evaporation and salt-resistant durability can be achieved simultaneously on a porous PEDOT:PSS hydrogel. The interfacial solar steam generation system remains stable after 30 days or 60 cycles of continuous desalination in saline water, with an average evaporation rate and steam evaporation efficiency yield of 2.76 kg·m−2·h−1 and 93.2 % under 1 sun illumination. [Display omitted] • A porous PEDOT:PSS hydrogel is prepared via a simple one-step fabrication method. • PEDOT:PSS hydrogel can achieve an average evaporation rate and steam evaporation efficiency of 2.76 kg·m−2·h−1 and 93.2 % on an interfacial solar stream generation system. • The system remains stable after 30 days or 60 cycles of continuous desalination of saline water. • Water molecules in PEDOT:PSS hydrogel consume less energy to evaporate due to effective polymer-water interaction. • The system can produce purified water from seawater or dye wastewater in practical solar desalination. A hydrogel prepared with conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is used as the photothermal material. Water molecules in the PEDOT:PSS hydrogel consumes less energy to evaporate due to the activation of PSS part to water molecules by polymer-water interaction. With a fully wrapped insulation structure to concentrate heat on the SSG surface, the average evaporation rate and the steam evaporation efficiency yield 2.76 kg·m−2·h−1 and 93.2 % under 1 sun illumination intensity, respectively. More importantly, after 30 days of continuous desalination in saline water, the average evaporation rate remains at 2.66 kg·m−2·h−1 in association with neglectable morphology changes. The frameworks of PEDOT carrying positive charges can intercept chlorine anions, which alleviates the blockage of salt particles. The simple fabrication method, efficient energy utilization, and excellent durability make our SSG system promising for practical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive efforts have been made to collect energy from water to generate electricity. However, producing a high density of electrical power for small mobile electronics is challenging. Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), which can convert droplet water into electricity, provides sustainable electrical power for small electronics. In addition, hydrovoltaic device (HD) can harvest energy from water evaporation into electricity for small electronics. Herein, an integrated device aimed at collecting energy from both impinging water droplets and evaporation is proposed by combining a TENG with an HD. An architecture that comprises a fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) film as a triboelectric layer with an aluminum electrode is used to collect energy from impinging water droplets. A silicon-based HD with an asymmetrical structure where nanostructured silicon plus hierarchical nanofabric carbon electrode is used to harvest energy from vaporizing water droplets. Silver is used as a mutual electrode to integrate the TENG and the HD to generate electricity by fully using falling water droplet energy. The microstructure is built on the FEP film surface to enlarge the contact area between the droplets and FEP, greatly boosting the output of the TENG with an open-circuit voltage of 200 V and a short circuit current of 60 μA in pulsed mode, respectively. Meanwhile, the HD device yields a consistent open-circuit voltage of 550 mV and a short circuit current density of 30 μA/cm2. This integrated device provides a smart strategy to generate electricity by fully collecting energy from impinging water droplets and evaporation, paving an alternative way to efficiently harvest water energy. [Display omitted] • Reactive ion etching (RIE) treatment is performed on the surface of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) film, which contributes to a boosted output of triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG). • Hydrovoltaic device (HD) can be integrated with the TENG by using a mutual electrode. • The integrated device is capable to fully convert both mechanical energy and thermal energy containing in a droplet into electricity. • The integrated device can combine the advantage of consistent output of HD and the high output level of TENG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scavenging energy stored at the water/solid interface into electrical power by the natural water evaporation process provides a promising method to supply sustainable electricity for self-powered electronics. The main barriers constraining its applications are the limited materials availability and ambiguous underlying mechanisms, detrimental to the improvement of output power. Herein, we report a highly flexible and efficient evaporation-induced electricity generator (EIEG) that dexterously exploits the directional water capillary flow inside the silicon nanowires (SiNWs) mesh nanopores. Benefiting from the large surface/volume ratio and high surface potential of nanostructured SiNWs mesh film, an EIEG continuously delivers a high open-circuit voltage of ~1.5 V and a maximum power density of over 160 μW·cm−3, which surpasses the analogous flexible EIEGs. Moreover, the correlation between the output power and capillary flow direction, diffusion length, and velocity as well as the species and ionic strength of various liquids have been systematically explored to identify the mechanism underlying the power generation. This study not only provides an in-depth understanding of water/solid interactions but also spikes a green technique to fabricate flexible generators that tap energy from the copious water reservoir. A highly flexible and efficient evaporation-induced electricity generator (EIEG) that dexterously exploits the directional water capillary flow inside the silicon nanowires (SiNWs) nanopores has been developed. This study not only provides an in-depth understanding of water/solid interactions but also spikes a green technique to fabricate flexible generators that tap energy from the copious water reservoir. [Display omitted] • A highly flexible and efficient evaporation-induced electricity generator (EIEG) that dexterously exploits the directional water capillary flow inside the silicon nanowires (SiNWs) nanopores is developed. • An EIEG continuously delivers a high and continuous open-circuit voltage of ~1.5 V and a maximum power density of over 160 μW·cm−3. • The EIEG exhibits outstanding flexibility, rendering it portable and suitable for self-powered electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]