Research Projects

The project focuses on developing an advanced moist-electric generator (MEG) that produces electricity from moisture, providing clean, environmentally friendly, and renewable energy for portable electronic devices. The MEG has achieved a high voltage generation of 1.5 V output and can power electronic components. The project aims to explore high humidity sensing materials that can perform moisture-triggered electricity generation. MEG devices rely on water absorption, which facilitates the release of positively/negatively charged ionic species from functional groups on the surface. To maximize the concentration gradient of ions, the researchers aim to enhance the diffusion current by either inducing an asymmetric distribution of moisture or engineering the sensing surface with nonuniform possession of functional groups. The proposed work aims to develop PVDF-HFP/MXene/Ionic liquid-based electrospun nanocomposite membranes for MEG devices. PVDF-HFP is a thermally stable, flexible, chemically inert, and high dielectric polymer with a hydrophobic nature, while Ti₃C₂TX is a widely exploited humidity sensing material due to its two-dimensional layered structure and high density of hydrophilic sites. Synergistically coupling Ti₃C₂TX with hydrophilic polymer & ionic liquids enhances humidity sensing characteristics. Compositing hydrophobic ionic liquid and hydrophobic polymer also achieves high humidity response. State-of-the-art PVDF-HFP/MXene/IL-based electrospun membranes induce concentration gradients on the surface of sensing films, contributing to high output voltage generation for MEG devices. Oxygenated functional groups associated with the ionic liquid when coupled with host polymeric chains further generate ions when covered by vapor molecules, serving as a substantial alternative for moist-electric generation.