Solvo-Voltaic Energy Harvesting for Distributed Electronic Systems

Electricity is the central energy currency in artificial programmable systems, akin to the role ATP plays in biological systems. Next-generation off-the-grid electronic systems call for alternative modes of energy harvesting. With numerous engineering possibilities in areas like circulating medical diagnostic devices and remote sensors in previously inaccessible locations, the Achilles’ heel for such an electronic system at an extremely small length-scale has by and large been the energy constraint. While there has been tremendous progress toward improving the energy and power densities for traditional energy storage devices such as microbatteries and supercapacitors, their disadvantageous volumetric scaling poses fundamental constraints on important energy metrics that limit the application space of these electricity-demanding on-board electronics. To bridge this energy gap, we explore different liquid-based energy harvesting methods more broadly known as the ‘<i>solvo-voltaic</i>’ effect, a phenomenon whereby various local energy inputs are converted into electricity within a quantum-confined nanostructure (<i>e.g.</i>, single-walled carbon nanotube, or SWCNT) by virtue of interactions with the surrounding solvent molecules. This technique stands out as a promising candidate to complement existing energy generation schemes like the photovoltaics, whose utility is diminished where visible light is not present, such as in the body.