Wood-based nanogenerators turn water evaporation into sustainable electricity

Water evaporation is a force of nature that has been shaping our planet for billions of years, driving the water cycle and sustaining life on Earth. It is a process that occurs continuously, day and night, across oceans, lakes, and even in the most arid deserts. Yet, despite its ubiquity and immense power, harnessing the energy of evaporating water to generate electricity has remained an elusive goal. The challenges are myriad: the need for materials with high surface area and charge density, the complexity of fabrication processes, and the lack of sustainable, biodegradable options.