Self‐Powered in situ Flow Vector Sensing of Continuous Fluid via Liquid‐Semiconductor Interfacial Electrification

ABSTRACT Precise determination of flow vector (flow rate and direction) is essential for advancing millimeter‐scale in situ fluid monitoring. However, existing monitoring methods are fundamentally constrained by measurement principles and structural design, limiting their miniaturization, integration, and in situ monitoring. Although triboelectric nanogenerators provide unique advantages for miniaturized in situ monitoring, they fail to deliver effective signal outputs under continuous fluid conditions. Here, we propose an in situ and real‐time strategy for quantitative flow vector measurement of continuous fluid, based on liquid‐semiconductor interfacial electrification. By exploiting competitive electric fields at the liquid‐semiconductor interface generates a direct‐current signal that simultaneously encodes flow, both the magnitude and direction, establishing a robust foundation for continuous monitoring. Guided by this mechanism, a continuous‐fluid tribovoltaic nanogenerator (CF‐TVNG) that integrates a free‐standing mode structure with piping systems is designed, achieving coefficients of determination ( R 2 ) exceeding 0.99 for both forward and reverse flows. Furthermore, an automated in situ monitoring system is implemented using a Python program, enabling real‐time flow vector analysis and abnormal condition alerts. This work presents a compact and scalable approach to self‐powered continuous‐flow monitoring, offering broad potential for applications in biomedical diagnostics and pipeline monitoring.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2026-02-03
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202531569
Primary Topic
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Self‐Powered in situ Flow Vector Sensing of Continuous Fluid via Liquid‐Semiconductor Interfacial Electrification

Siyang He, T.C.E. Cheng, Hui Li, Jinbiao Ma et al.
Advanced Functional Materials
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
article

Self‐Powered in situ Flow Vector Sensing of Continuous Fluid via Liquid‐Semiconductor Interfacial Electrification

Siyang He, T.C.E. Cheng, Hui Li, Jinbiao Ma, Jie Wei, Yuming Feng, Li Zheng, Yang Yu, Chaoyu Yang, Jianlong Wang, Yungao Yin
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Precise determination of flow vector (flow rate and direction) is essential for advancing millimeter‐scale in situ fluid monitoring. However, existing monitoring methods are fundamentally constrained by measurement principles and structural design, limiting their miniaturization, integration, and in situ monitoring. Although triboelectric nanogenerators provide unique advantages for miniaturized in situ monitoring, they fail to deliver effective signal outputs under continuous fluid conditions. Here, we propose an in situ and real‐time strategy for quantitative flow vector measurement of continuous fluid, based on liquid‐semiconductor interfacial electrification. By exploiting competitive electric fields at the liquid‐semiconductor interface generates a direct‐current signal that simultaneously encodes flow, both the magnitude and direction, establishing a robust foundation for continuous monitoring. Guided by this mechanism, a continuous‐fluid tribovoltaic nanogenerator (CF‐TVNG) that integrates a free‐standing mode structure with piping systems is designed, achieving coefficients of determination ( R 2 ) exceeding 0.99 for both forward and reverse flows. Furthermore, an automated in situ monitoring system is implemented using a Python program, enabling real‐time flow vector analysis and abnormal condition alerts. This work presents a compact and scalable approach to self‐powered continuous‐flow monitoring, offering broad potential for applications in biomedical diagnostics and pipeline monitoring.

Advanced Functional Materials
Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Shanghai University of Electric Power (CN), Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion (CN), Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 68%
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
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