Corrosion Energy: A Novel Source to Power the Wireless Sensor

Compared with traditional sensors powered by the grid, energy-harvesting wireless sensors have many significant advantages, especially when applied in harsh environments. A novel power supply element, i.e., concrete battery, is designed for the wireless corrosion-monitoring sensors. Then, the power generation capacity of the corrosion-sensitive materials (Mg and Zn) is verified in a series of simulated concrete pore solutions. Furthermore, the electric quantity generated during the corrosion process is analyzed in detail. The results indicate that the novel concrete batteries based on Mg or Zn materials are a promising solution for powering wireless corrosion-monitoring sensors.