Stretchable Porous Carbon Nanotube-Elastomer Hybrid Nanocomposite for Harvesting Mechanical Energy.

A stretchable porous nanocomposite (PNC) is reported based on a hybrid of a multiwalled carbon nanotubes network and a poly(dimethylsiloxane) matrix for harvesting energy from mechanical interactions. The deformation-enabled energy-generating process makes the PNC applicable to various mechanical interactions, including pressing, stretching, bending, and twisting. It can be potentially used as an energy solution for wearable electronics.

Triboelectric-Potential-Regulated Charge Transport Through p-n Junctions for Area-Scalable Conversion of Mechanical Energy.

Regulation of charge-transport direction is realized through the coupling of triboelectrification, electrostatic induction, and semiconducting properties for area-scalable conversion of mechanical energy. The output current from each unit triboelectric generator can always constructively add up due to the unidirectional flow of electrons. This work proposes a practical and general route to area-scalable applications of the triboelectric generator and other energy-harvesting techniques.

Robust thin-film generator based on segmented contact-electrification for harvesting wind energy.

Collecting and converting energy from ambient air flow promise to be a viable approach in developing self-powered autonomous electronics. Here, we report an effective and robust triboelectric generator that consists of an undulating thin-film membrane and an array of segmented fine-sized electrode pairs on a single substrate. Sequential processes of contact electrification and electrostatic induction generate alternating flows of free electrons when the membrane interacts with ambient air flow. Based on an optimum rational design, the segmented electrodes play an essential role in boosting the output current, leading to an enhancement of over 500% compared to the structure without the segmentation. The thin-film based generator can simultaneously and continuously light up tens of commercial light-emitting diodes. Moreover, it possesses exceptional durability, providing constant electric output after millions of operation cycles. This work offers a truly practical solution that opens the avenue to take advantage of wind energy by using the triboelectric effect.

A shape-adaptive thin-film-based approach for 50% high-efficiency energy generation through micro-grating sliding electrification.

Effectively harvesting ambient mechanical energy is the key for realizing self-powered and autonomous electronics, which addresses limitations of batteries and thus has tremendous applications in sensor networks, wireless devices, and wearable/implantable electronics, etc. Here, a thin-film-based micro-grating triboelectric nanogenerator (MG-TENG) is developed for high-efficiency power generation through conversion of mechanical energy. The shape-adaptive MG-TENG relies on sliding electrification between complementary micro-sized arrays of linear grating, which offers a unique and straightforward solution in harnessing energy from relative sliding motion between surfaces. Operating at a sliding velocity of 10 m/s, a MG-TENG of 60 cm(2) in overall area, 0.2 cm(3) in volume and 0.6 g in weight can deliver an average output power of 3 W (power density of 50 mW cm(-2) and 15 W cm(-3)) at an overall conversion efficiency of ∼ 50%, making it a sufficient power supply to regular electronics, such as light bulbs. The scalable and cost-effective MG-TENG is practically applicable in not only harvesting various mechanical motions but also possibly power generation at a large scale.