a research team from harbin institute of technology has successfully developed a novel stretchable moisture‑powered energy‑harvesting device. the key breakthrough lies in the creation of a functionalized hydrogel material that combines high adhesion with environmental robustness. this device requires no external power source and can continuously generate electricity solely by harnessing changes in ambient humidity, making it tailor‑made for next‑generation flexible wearable electronic systems.
the research team used a water–glycerol binary system as the matrix, innovatively incorporating a liquid‑metal microchannel network and ultra‑stretchable silver nanowire electrodes to form multi‑scale conductive pathways. glycerol molecules enhance the density of hydrogen bonds within the hydrogel, significantly strengthening interfacial adhesion while effectively passivating interfacial defects and substantially reducing charge‑transport barriers. in situ electrochemical characterization and all‑atom molecular dynamics simulations confirm that this structure boosts the directional migration rate of hydrated ions by more than 40%.
thanks to glycerol’s moisturizing, antifreeze, and volume‑buffering effects, the hydrogel maintains structural integrity and stable electrical output across a wide temperature range—from −20°c to 60°c—and within a relative humidity span of 20%–95%. durability tests reveal that after 1,040 cycles of stretching at 50% strain, power output degrades by less than 8%; and following 8,000 repeated bends at 180°, voltage fluctuations remain within ±3.2%, demonstrating exceptional mechanical robustness and long‑term operational reliability.
