Physical Transformation AtlasPTA
Pathway · p-129d18e6c2 · demonstrated

Hydrovoltaic generator

Humidity gradientEvaporationCapillary pressureHydrovoltaic effectIonic currentElectrical work

Evaporation pulls water through a carbon film and streams ions with it.

Epistemic state of the route

known constituent relations
2 / 5 established or replicated · weakest constituent demonstrated
constituent maturity floor
K4 · experimentally observed
search for this exact route
A recorded pathway or a reviewed search records a demonstration of this composition.
recorded pathway
Hydrovoltaic generator · demonstrated
composition maturity
K4 · experimentally observed — Hydrovoltaic generator
recorded-pathway overlap
this route is the recorded pathway Hydrovoltaic generator
route-level evidence
1 source for the complete composition · 4 cited by the constituent steps
boundaries and interfaces
BOUNDARY compatible · no region transition

Explorematrix context · physics checks · steps · route evidence · constituent evidence · cite

Matrix context

D = disequilibrium row · C = coupling family column. A cell reads the state of the atlas for that pair.

D.17 × C.23 · Humidity gradient × Electrokineticfamily: Electrokinetic

Steps

  1. 01
    Humidity gradient —drives→ Evaporationestablishedclaim record
    chemical → chemical · loss to thermal
    liquid · humidity difference required
    refs [1] [2]
  2. 02
    Evaporation —produces→ Capillary pressuredemonstratedclaim record
    chemical → mechanical
    • evaporation from a porous surface sustains capillary flow behind it
    refs [3]
  3. 03
    Capillary pressure —drives→ Hydrovoltaic effectdemonstratedclaim record
    mechanical → electrical · loss to thermal
    • a porous carbon film wicking water with one end exposed to air
    aqueous medium required · humidity difference required
    refs [3]
  4. 04
    Hydrovoltaic effect —produces→ Ionic currentdemonstratedclaim record
    electrical → electrical
    refs [3]
  5. 05
    Ionic current —converts into→ Electrical workestablishedclaim record
    electrical → electrical · loss to thermal
    • electrodes exchange the ionic current for an electronic current through the external load
    refs [4]

Evidence for the complete composition · 1

  1. [3]
    G. Xue, et al.. Water-evaporation-induced electricity with nanostructured carbon materials (2017)
    Nature Nanotechnology 12, 317–321 · doi:10.1038/nnano.2016.300 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record

Evidence for the constituent relations · 4

  1. [1]
    X. Chen et al.. Scaling up nanoscale water-driven energy conversion into evaporation-driven engines and generators (2015)
    Nature Communications 6, 7346 · doi:10.1038/ncomms8346 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
  2. [2]
    A. Bejan. Advanced Engineering Thermodynamics (4th ed.) (2016)
    Wiley · doi:10.1002/9781119245964 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
  3. [3]
    G. Xue, et al.. Water-evaporation-induced electricity with nanostructured carbon materials (2017)
    Nature Nanotechnology 12, 317–321 · doi:10.1038/nnano.2016.300 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
  4. [4]
    A. J. Bard, L. R. Faulkner. Electrochemical Methods: Fundamentals and Applications (2nd ed.) (2001)
    Wiley · book, no DOI · record

Cite this route

Physical Transformation Atlas (2026). route p-129d18e6c2: Hydrovoltaic generator. Dataset revision rbfbfcbb70e57 (hash of the canonical data). https://physical-transformation-atlas.wldud5192.workers.dev/path/129d18e6c2

Ids and matrix addresses are stable across revisions; the revision hash identifies the exact canonical files the record was compiled from and is meta.data_hash in every /api export. Reuse terms: see the license field in any export.