Premium
A Monocharged Electret Nanogenerator‐Based Self‐Powered Device for Pressure and Tactile Sensor Applications
Author(s) -
Gong Shaobo,
Zhang Jinxi,
Wang Chenchen,
Ren Kailiang,
Wang Zhong Lin
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201807618
Subject(s) - electret , materials science , nanogenerator , tactile sensor , pressure sensor , fabrication , sensitivity (control systems) , optoelectronics , voltage , reliability (semiconductor) , acoustics , electrical engineering , computer science , electronic engineering , mechanical engineering , piezoelectricity , engineering , composite material , artificial intelligence , physics , robot , medicine , power (physics) , alternative medicine , pathology , quantum mechanics
This study reports a self‐powered pressure sensor based on a monocharged electret nanogenerator (MENG). The sensor exhibits great advantages in terms of high reliability, ease of fabrication, and relatively high sensitivity. The working mechanism of the MENG sensor is studied by both theoretical derivations and finite element analyses to determine the electric potential distribution during the device operation. The MENG sensor exhibits a stable open circuit voltage ≈10 V at a 30.8 kPa pressure and a corresponding sensitivity of 325 mV kPa −1 . The stability testing result shows that the device has only ≈5% attenuation after 10 000 cycles of repeated testing at 30.8 kPa pressure. Furthermore, it is found that the MENG sensor responds not only to a dynamic force but also a static force. Finally, a sensor array consisting of nine MENG sensor elements is fabricated. The testing results from the sensor array also reveal that a single touch of the sensor element can immediately light up an LED light at the corresponding position. This device holds great promise for use in future tactile sensors and artificial skin applications.