Environmental temperature and humidity, light intensity, moisture, salinity, crop physiological indicators... These parameters are related to the growth of crops, and modern agriculture can be easily "one-stop" through agricultural information intelligent sensing technology.

However, real-time monitoring of these indicators requires electric power, and electric power is undoubtedly the “live water” at the source of the booming development of smart agriculture. Fields are often difficult to lay pipelines, and the limited battery life and pollution risks are more prominent. Therefore, the development of "passive perception" of agricultural information is a major trend of smart agriculture in the future.

In order to better solve this problem, the research team of Ping Jianfeng, an IBE team at the School of Biosystem Engineering and Food Science of Zhejiang University, proposed a simple and effective method to mine natural energy from the agricultural environment and efficiently convert it into electrical energy . For the first time, the friction nano-generator technology is applied to agricultural textiles, and it is used to collect rainwater energy during rainfall and obtain electrical energy through energy conversion.

This research was recently published in Nano Energy, a well-known international journal (DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.104863, click "Read the original text" at the end of the article, and go directly to the literature). The first author of the paper is the 2020 class of the School of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science of Zhejiang University PhD student Jiang Chengmei, the corresponding author is Ping Jianfeng researcher.

Figure 1. Preparation process of functionalized yarn and its application in agriculture.



Put the friction nano-generator into the yarn of agricultural textiles

The southern region often suffers from heavy rains, causing huge losses in agricultural production. Agricultural textiles are the most common in greenhouse facilities, which can shade and protect the crops.

How to tap energy from the agricultural environment?

Researchers at Zhejiang University cleverly combined these two, by functionalizing the surface of the yarn, attaching the friction nano-generator to the yarn, weaving into intelligent agricultural textiles, using the electron transfer and flow during the rain to generate current, which is constantly flowing Powering smart agriculture. The yarn loaded with friction nano-generators can be said to be "passive living water" for smart agriculture.

This research was inspired by a sudden heavy rain: in midsummer, a sudden downpour rain destroyed the greenery by the window sill through a window that was too late to close. This caused the researchers to think: "The environment of the crops will only be worse, then we will find ways to use its harshness." The greenhouse can not only be used as a "protective umbrella" for crops and animals, but also as a collector of raindrop energy. .

Experimental data shows that under a continuous force of 9.5 Newtons, a 3 cm long yarn can generate a voltage of 7.7 volts.

Ping Jianfeng introduced that by connecting energy storage equipment in the future, these transformed agricultural textiles can not only provide protection for planting and animal husbandry to improve the quality and output of agricultural and livestock products, but also continuously supply electrical energy for IoT sensing devices. , So as to carry out passive monitoring of agricultural information and provide real-time weather conditions.

Figure 2. Application of functionalized yarns in agricultural textiles.

Green energy has broad applications in smart agriculture
Why can the energy of raindrops be converted into electrical energy?

This is because the yarn of agricultural textiles has been specially modified. Researchers covered two layers of special materials on their surfaces-conductive titanium carbide nanomaterials and non-conductive polydimethylsiloxane (a high molecular polymer).

Figure 3. The principle of functionalized yarn collecting raindrop energy.

The polymer is waterproof and can transfer electrons with rainwater in the environment. The titanium carbide induction electrode not only has high electrical conductivity, but also can help surface polymers snatch electrons because of its high electronegativity. Therefore, on the basis of realizing the functions of original agricultural protective materials, thermal insulation, shading, soil and water conservation, drainage and irrigation, and seed cultivation base materials for agricultural textiles, it can also continuously obtain energy from the agricultural environment to provide a driving force for smart agriculture. Realize "passive real-time perception" of agricultural information.

Ping Jianfeng said that these two materials have good biocompatibility, and the entire preparation process is easy to scale and industrialize.

This research was supported by the National Outstanding Youth Science Foundation (No. 31922063).

Source: MXene notes

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