Development of a Bionic Material for Deep-Sea High-Efficiency Filtration and Power Generation Inspired by the Mechanism of the Deep-Sea Feather Duster Worm

Traditional deep-sea equipment primarily relies on batteries or surface-laid cables for power, which imposes substantial constraints on mission economic viability and entails high maintenance costs. Inspired by the highly efficient filtering and capture mechanism of the deep-sea feather duster worm, this research developed a novel bionic composite material that integrates efficient particle capture with triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) functionality. By analyzing the fluid-structure interaction mechanics of the multi-level structure of the feather duster worm's crown tentacles and combining it with the solid-liquid interface contact electrification mechanism, an innovative multi-scale fractal-structured bionic fiber network was designed. Flexible composite fibers consisting of polymer and conductive materials were fabricated using coaxial electrospinning micro-nano assembly technology. For functional validation, a simulated deep-sea environment featuring low temperature, high pressure, and low flow velocity was constructed. Experimental results indicate that under simulated deep-sea flow conditions of 3-5 cm/s, the bionic material achieved a stable capture efficiency of approximately 85% for standard 5 μm particles. The triboelectric power generation unit produced an open-circuit voltage of about 3.2 V and a short-circuit current of approximately 0.55 μA, delivering an estimated power density of 1.7 mW·m⁻², which is sufficient to power micro-sensors.