Flexible Nanofiber Moisture-Enabled Electric Generator Based on Horizontal Asymmetric Structure

Harvesting electricity from atmospheric humidity represents a highly promising pathway for clean energy conversion. However, conventional nanofiber-based moisture-enabled electric generators mostly rely on vertical humidity gradients to generate power, leaving horizontally structured moisture-enabled electric generators relatively unexplored. Herein, we report a flexible moisture-induced electricity generator based on an electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber membrane, which achieves self-driven potential output through horizontally asymmetric distribution of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS). Specifically, the nanofiber membrane was dip-coated with carbon nanotubes (CNT/PAN), not only introducing multi-level porous nanochannels but also endowing it with sensitive perception of ion migration. Subsequently, one half of the CNT/PAN was immersed in an SDBS solution to construct an asymmetric moisture-capturing structure, enabling the device to induce an ion concentration gradient upon humidity exposure. The gradient drives ion migration, thereby generating an ionic current. Under 93% relative humidity (RH), the device achieves an open-circuit voltage of 60 mV and a short-circuit current of 3 μA. The designed device can not only generate electricity but also function as a self-powered humidity sensor for applications such as touch sensing. It delivers stable direct-current output from ambient humidity without any external energy input, exhibiting good moisture response and promising wearability. These findings may provide new insights into the design and application of horizontally structured nanofiber-based moisture-enable electric generators.