Flexible,self-cleaning,and high-performance ceramic nanofiber-based moist-electric generator enabled by interfacial engineering

Due to their long-term stability, even under extreme conditions, oxide ceramics have attracted significant attention in emerging fields like moist-electric generation However, the inherent brittleness and low voltage output of oxide ceramic-based moist-electric generators (MEGs) limit their applications in wearable electronics. Herein, a facile strategy involving the combination of sol-gel electrospinning and calcination is used to fabricate flexible and freestanding TiO₂/ZrO₂ (TZ) composite nanofiber-based MEGs. The excellent flexibility of the TZ nanofiber membranes can be attributed to the suppression of their crystal structure transformation, dispersion of stress concentration, and reduction of crack propagation via interfacial engineering The porous structure of the electrospun nanofiber membrane features an abundance of charged narrow channels for the diffusion of water molecules and generates a streaming potential: The optimal voltage output reached ～0.8 V, which is the highest value reported for an oxide ceramic-based MEG. Furthermore, the as-fabricated nanofiber-based MEG exhibits good self-cleaning capability to degrade organic pollutants under ultraviolet irradiation. By integrating mechanical flexibility, high performance, and a self-cleaning effect, this work presents a new idea for exploring diverse, efficient, and wearable oxide ceramic-based MEGs.