http://www.nanoscience.gatech.edu/paper/2012/12_NE_04.pdf

Flexible triboelectric generator

Triboelectrification is an effect that is known to each and every one probably since ancient Greek time, but it is usually taken as a negative effect and is avoided in many technologies. We have recently invented a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that is used to convert mechanical energy into electricity by a conjunction of triboelectrification and electrostatic induction. As for this power generation unit, in the inner circuit, a potential is created by the triboelectric effect due to the charge transfer between two thin organic/inorganic films that exhibit opposite tribo-polarity; in the outer circuit, electrons are driven to flow between two electrodes attached on the back sides of the films in order to balance the potential. Since the most useful materials for TENG are organic, it is also named organic nanogenerator, which is the first using organic materials for harvesting mechanical energy. In this paper, we review the fundamentals of the TENG in the three basic operation modes: vertical contact-...

Triboelectric Nanogenerators as New Energy Technology for Self-Powered Systems and as Active Mechanical and Chemical Sensors

Generations Yi Ma,† Xiuli Wang,† Yushuai Jia,† Xiaobo Chen,‡ Hongxian Han,*,† and Can Li*,† †State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023, China ‡Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64110, United States

Titanium dioxide-based nanomaterials for photocatalytic fuel generations.

Fiber-based structures are highly desirable for wearable electronics that are expected to be light-weight, long-lasting, flexible, and conformable Many fibrous structures have been manufactured by well-established lost-effective textile processing technologies, normally at ambient conditions The advancement of nanotechnology has made it feasible to build electronic devices directly on the surface or inside of single fibers, which have typical thickness of several to tens microns However, imparting electronic functions to porous, highly deformable and three-dimensional fiber assemblies and maintaining them during wear represent great challenges from both views of fundamental understanding and practical implementation This article attempts to critically review the current state-of-arts with respect to materials, fabrication techniques, and structural design of devices as well as applications of the fiber-based wearable electronic products In addition, this review elaborates the performance requirements of the fiber-based wearable electronic products, especially regarding the correlation among materials, fiber/textile structures and electronic as well as mechanical functionalities of fiber-based electronic devices Finally, discussions will be presented regarding to limitations of current materials, fabrication techniques, devices concerning manufacturability and performance as well as scientific understanding that must be improved prior to their wide adoption

Fiber‐Based Wearable Electronics: A Review of Materials, Fabrication, Devices, and Applications

Ever since the first report of the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) in January 2012, its output area power density has reached 500 W m−2, and an instantaneous conversion efficiency of ∼70% and a total energy conversion efficiency of up to 85% have been demonstrated. We provide a comprehensive review of the four modes, their theoretical modelling, and the applications of TENGs for harvesting energy from human motion, walking, vibration, mechanical triggering, rotating tire, wind, flowing water and more as well as self-powered sensors.

Progress in triboelectric nanogenerators as a new energy technology and self-powered sensors

Nanogenerators (NG) have been developed to harvest mechanical energy from environmental sources such as vibration, human motion, or movement of automobiles. We demonstrate a robust and large-area NG based on a cost-effective Al substrate with the capability to be easily integrated in series and parallel for high-output performance. The output voltage and current density of the three-dimensionally integrated NG device reaches up to 3 V and 195 nA under human walking conditions.

http://www.nanoscience.gatech.edu/paper/2012/12_AM_08.pdf

Toward Robust Nanogenerators Using Aluminum Substrate

http://www.nanoscience.gatech.edu/paper/2011/11_NCN_01.pdf

Hybrid resonant energy harvester integrating ZnO NWs with MEMS for enabling zero-power wireless sensor nodes

A generator (100) includes a substrate (110), a first electrode layer (112), a dense plurality of vertically-aligned piezoelectric elongated nanostructures (116), an insulating layer (118) and a second electrode layer (120). The substrate (110) has a top surface and the first electrode layer (112) is disposed on the top surface of the substrate (110). The dense plurality of vertically-aligned piezoelectric elongated nanostructures (116) extends from the first electrode layer (112). Each of the nanostructures (116) has a top end. The insulating layer (118) is disposed on the top ends of the nanostructures (116). The second electrode layer (120) is disposed on the insulating layer (118) and is spaced apart from the nanostructures (116).

Chen Xu

Papers

Toward Robust Nanogenerators Using Aluminum Substrate

Hybrid resonant energy harvester integrating ZnO NWs with MEMS for enabling zero-power wireless sensor nodes

Nanogenerator for self-powered system with wireless data transmission