Power Generation from the Interaction of a Carbon Foam and Water

Understanding the interaction mechanisms between the surface of carbon-based materials and water is of great significance for the development of water-based energy storage and energy conversion devices. Herein, a self-supporting electric generator is demonstrated based on water adsorption on the surface of the carbon foam (CF) that works with various water resources, including deionized (DI) water, tap water, wastewater, and seawater. It is revealed that the dissociation of oxygen-containing groups on the surface of CF after water molecule adsorption leads to a reduction of the surface potential of the CF. Through surface modulation techniques such as reduction and oxidation, a balance has been uncovered between the oxygen content and conductivity for the high-performance CFs. The generator can generate an open-circuit voltage of approximately 0.6 V in natural seawater with a power density of up to 0.77 mW g^–1. A high voltage of more than 2 V can be achieved easily by assembling components connected in series to drive electronic devices, such as a light-emitting diode (LED). This work demonstrates a simple and low-cost method for electricity harvesting, offering an additional option for self-powered devices.