Page 65 - Read Online
P. 65

Page 2 of 47                                                          Zhou et al. Soft Sci. 2026, 6, 10





               agriculture. Based on this comprehensive analysis, this review aims to provide guidance for the optimization and
               innovation of flexible moisture-electric generating devices, accelerating their deployment in intelligent electronic
               textiles and other wearable technologies.




               INTRODUCTION
               Against the backdrop of global focus on sustainable development, achieving carbon neutrality has become
               crucial for improving the environment and climate . The carbon neutrality goal is driving the expansion of
                                                          [1-3]
               the green, clean energy industry chain . Given the environmental degradation associated with fossil fuels,
                                                [4]
               the development and utilization of sustainable energy technologies, such as hydropower , solar energy ,
                                                                                          [5,6]
                                                                                                        [7,8]
               and wind power [9,10] , have become the forefront of energy research. Hydropower is a clean, efficient, and
               sustainable energy option, encompassing traditional hydroelectric power generation [11-13] , evaporation power
               generation [14-17] , and the emerging method of moisture-electric generation [18,19] . Compared to other power
               generation methods, such as triboelectric power generation [20,21] , evaporation power generation [22,23] , and solar
               power generation , they rely on friction, heat, and sunlight, respectively , and all exhibit dependence on
                                                                              [25]
                              [24]
               external factors [14,26] . Furthermore, it is difficult for these methods to achieve continuous and stable
               all-weather energy supply, and their overall equipment structures are complex. Triboelectric nanogenerators
               (TENGs) generate signals by coupling triboelectric and electrostatic induction effects, operating during
               mechanical motion or contact separation [27,28] . Moisture-electric generators (MEGs) generate electricity solely
               through the spontaneous, continuous adsorption and desorption of ambient moisture. Evaporative power
               generation relies on solar-driven interfacial evaporation processes , requiring liquid water sources and
                                                                         [29]
               avoiding freezing conditions . MEGs can operate directly using humidity gradients in the air and function
                                       [23]
               even in environments containing only water vapor, making them suitable for a wider range of applications.
               MEGs are physicochemical processes that operate continuously as long as atmospheric relative humidity
               (RH) is not zero, offering a longer theoretical lifespan. In mild, humid, non-freezing environments
               year-round, they can provide sustainable energy without human intervention and with low maintenance
               over a wide range of environmental humidity, giving MEGs the greatest advantage in providing continuous
               and stable power [30,31] . Compared to the previous two systems, MEGs cannot operate under diverse climatic
               conditions with abundant mechanical energy such as TENGs, nor can they provide the relatively stable
               output of evaporation systems with guaranteed water sources. Performance is limited in extremely dry or
               cold conditions, where reduced ion mobility and weakened proton gradients result in significant
               performance degradation [32] . Some teams have designed MEGs that can operate stably in dry or
               low-temperature environments [33-35] . As specialized complementary energy sources for specific environments,
               they have the potential to form hybrid energy harvesting systems with other technologies, enabling practical
               applications across a wider range of scenarios. Therefore, MEGs demonstrate unique application potential in
               sustainable energy supply due to their advantages of being environmentally friendly, structurally simple, and
               independent of specific geographical conditions .
                                                       [36]
               MEGs capture moisture from the atmosphere through hygroscopic materials, driving the dissociation and
               migration of ions within their functional groups [17,37] , ultimately achieving highly efficient electrical energy
               output [38,39] . Moisture-electric generation textiles (MEGTs) have shown promising applications in energy
               supply, wearable technology, and health monitoring, making them a focal point of academic research. They
               feature a simple structure and are easy to integrate flexibly, significantly reducing system complexity and
               manufacturing costs . They can be readily embedded into self-powered miniature electronic devices or
                                 [40]
               sensors . In addition, these systems demonstrate high adaptability in smart wearable textiles, reducing
                     [41]
               reliance on external power sources and opening new avenues for diversified energy applications [42,43] .
   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70