Flexible triboelectric nanogenerator based on polyester conductive cloth for biomechanical energy harvesting and self-powered sensors

Abstract

As a new nanotechnology of mechanical energy harvesting and self-powered sensing, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have been explored as a new path of using various low-frequency disordered mechanical energies in the surrounding environment to provide power and/or sensing. However, the research of TENGs that provide full flexibility and environmental friendliness is still limited. Herein, a flexible single-electrode TENG (S-TENG) based on polyester conductive cloth as the working electrode is developed to harvest human motion energy for powering light emitting diodes (LEDs) and portable electronics. The flat conductive cloth was wrapped in a flexible elastomer. Defatted cowhide was firstly selected as a friction positive charge material for TENGs. When the size of the fabricated S-TENG is 40 × 100 mm², high output performance has been achieved and it can generate an open-circuit voltage of 534 V and a power density of 230 mW m⁻² at an operation frequency of 3.0 Hz. After integrating with a rectifier, the S-TENG can power 240 LEDs, charge various capacitors, and drive an electronic watch or a calculator. Moreover, the S-TENG can harvest the biomechanical energy of wrist movement, hand tapping, and human walking. Meanwhile, the S-TENG as a self-powered sensor can be employed to monitor subtle signals of human physiological activities, such as finger motion, facial masseter activity, and diaphragmatic breathing. Additionally, the S-TENG can be attached to clothes (such as wool coats, polyamide sweaters) to harvest the energy of cuff movement. Therefore, this work provides new insights for clean power sources of skin-mounted electronics and promotes the development of a sustainable energy supply for wearable and portable electronics.