IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v15y2024i1d10.1038_s41467-024-49088-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How liquids charge the superhydrophobic surfaces

Author

Listed:
  • Yuankai Jin

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
    City University of Hong Kong)

  • Siyan Yang

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • Mingzi Sun

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • Shouwei Gao

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • Yaqi Cheng

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Chenyang Wu

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Zhenyu Xu

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Yunting Guo

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Wanghuai Xu

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • Xuefeng Gao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Steven Wang

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Bolong Huang

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

  • Zuankai Wang

    (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
    The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

Abstract

Liquid-solid contact electrification (CE) is essential to diverse applications. Exploiting its full implementation requires an in-depth understanding and fine-grained control of charge carriers (electrons and/or ions) during CE. Here, we decouple the electrons and ions during liquid-solid CE by designing binary superhydrophobic surfaces that eliminate liquid and ion residues on the surfaces and simultaneously enable us to regulate surface properties, namely work function, to control electron transfers. We find the existence of a linear relationship between the work function of superhydrophobic surfaces and the as-generated charges in liquids, implying that liquid-solid CE arises from electron transfer due to the work function difference between two contacting surfaces. We also rule out the possibility of ion transfer during CE occurring on superhydrophobic surfaces by proving the absence of ions on superhydrophobic surfaces after contact with ion-enriched acidic, alkaline, and salt liquids. Our findings stand in contrast to existing liquid-solid CE studies, and the new insights learned offer the potential to explore more applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuankai Jin & Siyan Yang & Mingzi Sun & Shouwei Gao & Yaqi Cheng & Chenyang Wu & Zhenyu Xu & Yunting Guo & Wanghuai Xu & Xuefeng Gao & Steven Wang & Bolong Huang & Zuankai Wang, 2024. "How liquids charge the superhydrophobic surfaces," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-49088-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49088-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-49088-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-024-49088-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wanghuai Xu & Huanxi Zheng & Yuan Liu & Xiaofeng Zhou & Chao Zhang & Yuxin Song & Xu Deng & Michael Leung & Zhengbao Yang & Ronald X. Xu & Zhong Lin Wang & Xiao Cheng Zeng & Zuankai Wang, 2020. "A droplet-based electricity generator with high instantaneous power density," Nature, Nature, vol. 578(7795), pages 392-396, February.
    2. Mingzi Sun & Qiuyang Lu & Zhong Lin Wang & Bolong Huang, 2021. "Understanding contact electrification at liquid–solid interfaces from surface electronic structure," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Emiliano Poli & Kwang H. Jong & Ali Hassanali, 2020. "Charge transfer as a ubiquitous mechanism in determining the negative charge at hydrophobic interfaces," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Shiquan Lin & Liang Xu & Aurelia Chi Wang & Zhong Lin Wang, 2020. "Quantifying electron-transfer in liquid-solid contact electrification and the formation of electric double-layer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    5. Nenad Miljkovic & Daniel J. Preston & Ryan Enright & Evelyn N. Wang, 2013. "Electrostatic charging of jumping droplets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-9, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jiayue Tang & Yuanyuan Zhao & Mi Wang & Dianyu Wang & Xuan Yang & Ruiran Hao & Mingzhan Wang & Yanlei Wang & Hongyan He & John H. Xin & Shuang Zheng, 2022. "Circadian humidity fluctuation induced capillary flow for sustainable mobile energy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Zhipeng Zhao & Huizeng Li & An Li & Wei Fang & Zheren Cai & Mingzhu Li & Xiqiao Feng & Yanlin Song, 2021. "Breaking the symmetry to suppress the Plateau–Rayleigh instability and optimize hydropower utilization," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-7, December.
    3. Song Zhang & Mingchao Chi & Jilong Mo & Tao Liu & Yanhua Liu & Qiu Fu & Jinlong Wang & Bin Luo & Ying Qin & Shuangfei Wang & Shuangxi Nie, 2022. "Bioinspired asymmetric amphiphilic surface for triboelectric enhanced efficient water harvesting," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Fan, Kangqi & Chen, Chenggen & Zhang, Baosen & Li, Xiang & Wang, Zhen & Cheng, Tinghai & Lin Wang, Zhong, 2022. "Robust triboelectric-electromagnetic hybrid nanogenerator with maglev-enabled automatic mode transition for exploiting breeze energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 328(C).
    5. Zhao, Kun & Song, Zhenhua & Sun, Wanru & Gao, Wei & Guo, Junhong & Zhang, Kewei, 2024. "Flexible neodymium iron boron/polyvinyl chloride (Nd2Fe14B/PVC) composite film based hybrid nanogenerator for efficient mechanical energy harvesting," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    6. Shiquan Lin & Laipan Zhu & Zhen Tang & Zhong Lin Wang, 2022. "Spin-selected electron transfer in liquid–solid contact electrification," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Yi Li & Yi Luo & Song Xiao & Cheng Zhang & Cheng Pan & Fuping Zeng & Zhaolun Cui & Bangdou Huang & Ju Tang & Tao Shao & Xiaoxing Zhang & Jiaqing Xiong & Zhong Lin Wang, 2024. "Visualization and standardized quantification of surface charge density for triboelectric materials," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    8. Haohao Gu & Kaixin Meng & Ruowei Yuan & Siyang Xiao & Yuying Shan & Rui Zhu & Yajun Deng & Xiaojin Luo & Ruijie Li & Lei Liu & Xu Chen & Yuping Shi & Xiaodong Wang & Chuanhua Duan & Hao Wang, 2024. "Rewritable printing of ionic liquid nanofilm utilizing focused ion beam induced film wetting," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    9. Xiang Li & Roujuan Li & Shaoxin Li & Zhong Lin Wang & Di Wei, 2024. "Triboiontronics with temporal control of electrical double layer formation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    10. Zhou, Han & Liu, Guoxu & Bu, Tianzhao & Wang, Zheng & Cao, Jie & Wang, Zhaozheng & Zhang, Zhi & Dong, Sicheng & Zeng, Jianhua & Cao, Xiaoxin & Zhang, Chi, 2024. "Autonomous cantilever buck switch for ultra-efficient power management of triboelectric nanogenerator," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 357(C).
    11. Geon Lee & Hyunjung Kang & Jooyeong Yun & Dongwoo Chae & Minsu Jeong & Minseo Jeong & Dasol Lee & Miso Kim & Heon Lee & Junsuk Rho, 2024. "Integrated triboelectric nanogenerator and radiative cooler for all-weather transparent glass surfaces," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    12. Xin Xia & Ziqing Zhou & Yinghui Shang & Yong Yang & Yunlong Zi, 2023. "Metallic glass-based triboelectric nanogenerators," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    13. Hao, Guannan & Dong, Xiangwei & Li, Zengliang, 2021. "A novel piezoelectric structure for harvesting energy from water droplet: Theoretical and experimental studies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    14. Qiang, Ziyi & Cui, Peilin & Tian, Chenyun & Liu, Runkeng & Shen, Hong & Liu, Zhenyu, 2023. "Enhancing power generation for carbon black film device based on optimization of liquid capillary flow," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 351(C).
    15. Ziming Wang & Xuanli Dong & Xiao-Fen Li & Yawei Feng & Shunning Li & Wei Tang & Zhong Lin Wang, 2024. "A contact-electro-catalysis process for producing reactive oxygen species by ball milling of triboelectric materials," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    16. Chaojie Chen & Shilong Zhao & Caofeng Pan & Yunlong Zi & Fangcheng Wang & Cheng Yang & Zhong Lin Wang, 2022. "A method for quantitatively separating the piezoelectric component from the as-received “Piezoelectric” signal," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    17. Yong Zhang & Tingting Yang & Kedong Shang & Fengmei Guo & Yuanyuan Shang & Shulong Chang & Licong Cui & Xulei Lu & Zhongbao Jiang & Jian Zhou & Chunqiao Fu & Qi-Chang He, 2022. "Sustainable power generation for at least one month from ambient humidity using unique nanofluidic diode," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    18. Weipeng Xian & Xiuhui Zuo & Changjia Zhu & Qing Guo & Qing-Wei Meng & Xincheng Zhu & Sai Wang & Shengqian Ma & Qi Sun, 2022. "Anomalous thermo-osmotic conversion performance of ionic covalent-organic-framework membranes in response to charge variations," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    19. Chen, Rui & Qiu, Qinpan & Peng, Xiao & Tang, Chao, 2023. "Surface modified h-BN towards enhanced electrical properties and thermal conductivity of natural ester insulating oil," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 185-196.
    20. Xu, Zhongwei & Li, Dianlun & Wang, Kun & Liu, Ye & Wang, Jiaxin & Qiu, Zhirong & Wu, Chaoxing & Lin, Jintang & Guo, Tailiang & Li, Fushan, 2022. "Stomatopod-inspired integrate-and-fire triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting mechanical energy with ultralow vibration speed," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-49088-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.