Moisture Activated Zinc Ion Battery for Leak Detection Signaling

Every year $6 billion worth of potable water is lost to undetected leaks in addition to $20 billion spent on property damage in the U.S alone [1-3]. While many leak detection systems exist that use acoustic, thermal, and video detection principles, they often suffer from low signal to noise ratios, poor sensitivity, and require technician operation [4]–[6]. To overcome these challenges researchers have begun investigating new and inventive bio-based solutions such as conductive paper resistive sensors [7], [8]. While these systems are quite effective, they are difficult to implement in residential homes due to the expense of installation and the need of continuous monitoring and power supply. To overcome these drawbacks, a fully autonomous leak detection system was envisioned, where a leak can produce power through mechanisms such as moisture enabled generators (MEGs) however, the extremely low power production of MEGs is insufficient for WIFI signaling. In this study a zinc ion battery inspired device is developed in pursuit of a fully autonomous detection system. Zinc microspheres are embedded in a carbon nanotube/cellulose composite using a scalable paper manufacturing method. Using this anode with a moisture wicking electrolyte doped separator and manganese oxide cathode, a water activated battery was produced capable of powering a WIFI device signaling the presence of a leak.<br/>Sources:<br/>[1] O. US EPA, “Fix a Leak Week,” Feb. 03, 2017. https://www.epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week (accessed May 18, 2023).<br/>[2] “Average monthly cost of water United States 2019,” <i>Statista</i>. https://www.statista.com/statistics/720418/average-monthly-cost-of-water-in-the-us/ (accessed May 18, 2023).<br/>[3] “Water Damage Statistics [2023]: Claim Data & Facts,” <i>iPropertyManagement.com</i>. https://ipropertymanagement.com/research/water-damage-statistics (accessed May 28, 2023).<br/>[4] H. Fan, S. Tariq, and T. Zayed, “Acoustic leak detection approaches for water pipelines,” <i>Autom. Constr.</i>, vol. 138, p. 104226, Jun. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.autcon.2022.104226.<br/>[5] J. D. Butterfield, R. P. Collins, and S. B. M. Beck, “Influence of Pipe Material on the Transmission of Vibroacoustic Leak Signals in Real Complex Water Distribution Systems: Case Study,” <i>J. Pipeline Syst. Eng. Pract.</i>, vol. 9, no. 3, p. 05018003, Aug. 2018, doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)PS.1949-1204.0000321.<br/>[6] Y. A. Khulief, A. Khalifa, R. B. Mansour, and M. A. Habib, “Acoustic Detection of Leaks in Water Pipelines Using Measurements inside Pipe,” <i>J. Pipeline Syst. Eng. Pract.</i>, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 47–54, May 2012, doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)PS.1949-1204.0000089.<br/>[7] S. Goodman, A. Song, R. Fitzpatrick, and A. Dichiara, “Development of carbon nanotube: cellulose composites using a simple papermaking process for multifunctional sensing applications,” <i>Proc. Spie</i>, vol. 10165, p. 101650N, 2017, doi: 10.1117/12.2257364.<br/>[8] S. M. Goodman <i>et al.</i>, “Scalable manufacturing of fibrous nanocomposites for multifunctional liquid sensing,” <i>Nano Today</i>, vol. 40, p. 101270, Oct. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.nantod.2021.101270.<br/>[9] D. Shen <i>et al.</i>, “Moisture-Enabled Electricity Generation: From Physics and Materials to Self-Powered Applications,” <i>Adv. Mater.</i>, vol. 32, no. 52, p. 2003722, 2020, doi: 10.1002/adma.202003722.