Researchers have developed a new method to pull moisture from the air and turn that water into electricity. The paper-based wearable device provides sustained high-efficiency power output through moisture capture.

The generator uses bacterial spores as the functional group that breaks down the water molecules into positive and negative ions. The paper’s capillaries absorb the spores, which creates a gradient with more positive ions on top than on the bottom, and that imbalance leads to an electric charge.

Moisture absorption is enhanced by adding a Janus paper layer that is hydrophobic on one side and hydrophilic on the other, drawing in water molecules and keeping them inside the device until they are processed. The moist-electric generator could be used for low-power sensors, drug delivery, or electrical stimulation. (Image credit: Binghamton University)

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Energy Medical

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