Jidong Li, Jun Yin, Wanlin Guo

Iontronics  ，2025，1（1）

Abstract: Hydrovoltaic technology, which harvests electricity from water interactions with solid materials through ion-electron coupling, is approaching a transformative phase. While most studies focus on power output, the underlying ion dynamics inherently respond to environmental stimuli. This built-in sensing capability, though recognized, has rarely been developed into complex functional systems. Concurrently, neuromorphic engineering increasingly adopts ionic-electronic systems to create artificial synapses and neurons with inherent sensory and processing functions. This Perspective illustrates the natural convergence of these two fields, forming the basis of an emerging paradigm of hydrovoltaic intelligence. We show how the interfacial ion-electron coupling acts as a shared physical basis that links energy conversion, sensory perception, and neuromorphic processing, and ultimately opens a pathway toward brain-inspired hydrovoltaic intelligent media.

Link: https://www.oaepublish.com/articles/iontronics.2025.03