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Highly Durable and Easily Integrable Triboelectric Foam for Active Sensing and Energy Harvesting Applications
Author(s) -
Wu Zhiyi,
Wang Peng,
Zhang Binbin,
Guo Hengyu,
Chen Chaoyu,
Lin Zhiming,
Cao Xia,
Wang Zhong Lin
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
advanced materials technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.184
H-Index - 42
ISSN - 2365-709X
DOI - 10.1002/admt.202000737
Subject(s) - triboelectric effect , materials science , energy harvesting , durability , mechanical energy , electrode , composite material , fabrication , energy (signal processing) , power (physics) , statistics , mathematics , medicine , physics , chemistry , alternative medicine , pathology , quantum mechanics
Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have potential applications as active sensors or energy harvesters in self‐powered sensors and systems as they enable harvesting and conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy. TENG development allows high‐efficiency energy harvesting capability and outstanding sensing characteristics, such as excellent output performance, high durability, reliable stability, easy integration, and convenient fabrication, among others. A triboelectric foam (T‐Foam) composed of a foam material with an embedded soft electrode is proposed in this study. The T‐Foam inherits the dominant mechanical properties of the foam material, which allows it to be freely folded, compressed, and kneaded, as well as immediate recovery upon stimulus withdrawal. The durability and stability of the T‐Foam are tested for a 0.1842 g sample; after stamping 14 times with a 158.6 lb tester, its output performance remained nearly identical. These properties indicate that the T‐Foam can be easily integrated into products, such as insoles, schoolbags, and seat mats, to build smart applications for motion, health, and safety monitoring. When driven by a polytetrafluoroethylene plate, a T‐Foam sample of 135 × 135 × 25 mm 3 exhibits considerable energy harvesting capability, with the output power as high as 5.46 mW.