Self-powered smart fire-alarm materials: Advances and perspective

As urbanization accelerates, the demand for modern high-rise buildings has increased significantly, along with a heightened aesthetic expectation for interior decoration. However, many interior finishing products are flammable and exhibit poor fire resistance properties, which can lead to rapid fire spread in the event of a fire. Consequently, the monitoring and early warning of fires in high-rise buildings have become essential. Traditional fire-alarm systems typically rely on external power sources. In the event of a fire accompanied by a power outage, these systems cease to function effectively, thereby limiting their applicability in complex situations. Nanogenerators (NGs), as an emerging class of self-powered materials, demonstrate the capability to convert ambient micro-energy into electrical power. Owing to their stable self-powered characteristics and structural diversity, NGs have found extensive application in fire-alarm systems. Meanwhile, scholars have proposed the concept of smart firefighting, which integrates fire sensors with Internet of Things technology into self-powered fire-alarm systems to enable intelligent fire monitoring. Self-powered fire-alarm systems are poised to overcome the limitations associated with traditional systems that depend on external power sources. This innovation has the potential to reduce reliance on conventional electricity, thereby opening up new possibilities for advancements in energy conservation, renewable energy utilization, and transformation. Furthermore, it contributes to the implementation of sustainable development strategies. • Recent advancements in self-powered fire-alarm materials in safety are reviewed. • Applications of four self-powered materials in fire alarms are demonstrated. • Advancements, prevailing challenges and prospective directions are delineated.