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Triboelectric nanogenerator technology is emerging as a promising candidate for mechanical energy harvesting from ambient environment. Freestanding triboelectric-layer-based nanogenerators (FTENGs) are one of the fundamental operation modes with many advantages. In this paper, the first theoretical model of FTENGs is proposed with thorough analysis of their operation principle. Both contact-mode and sliding-mode FTENGs are discussed to fully uncover their unique characteristics. Contact-mode FTENGs have superior linearity, which is highly beneficial for both energy-harvesting and self-powered sensing applications. Sliding-mode FTENGs have two subcategories based on the material of their freestanding layer. For both of the two subcategories, the coupling effect of the height of the freestanding layer and the electrode gap on their output characteristics are discussed in detail to obtain the strategy for their structural optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advantages of low power consumption, low cost and miniaturization, self-powered sensors have a wide range of applications in the human-machine interface, Internet of Things (IoTs), sports monitoring and versatile fields. Here, a novel and easy-processing self-powered triboelectric multi-information motion monitoring sensor (TM3S) is proposed and systemically investigated under the conditions of rolling and sliding motion. The relationships between electrical signals (charge, rate of charge change, current, rate of current change, voltage, etc.) and kinetic parameters (displacement, direction, velocity, acceleration, etc.) are established and verified with various motion states. The results show that TM3S can precisely detect the displacement, direction, velocity, and acceleration of the moving object, demonstrating excellent performance in motion monitoring. Furthermore, a wireless self-powered motion monitoring system based on TM3S is developed, which can detect the movement of a sliding mouse in real time, wirelessly transmit sensing data instantaneously, and achieve real-time control in human-machine interface. The real-time motion monitoring system exhibits two significant advantages of high sensitivity and self-powered nature, showing huge potential in low power consumption IoTs and intelligent human-machine interaction. [Display omitted] • An easy-processing self-powered triboelectric multi-information motion monitoring sensor (TM3S) is proposed. • The TM3S can detect the displacement, direction, velocity, and acceleration of the moving object with superb performance. • A wireless self-powered motion monitoring system based on TM3S is applied for remote control in human-machine interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: New technologies that can scavenge ambient environmental energy have attracted increasing interest in the past decades. Recently, triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has been demonstrated as a powerful approach for harvesting various forms of mechanical energies. In this work, a newly designed TENG is demonstrated by coaxially integrating multiple layers disk TENGs into a whole system, which transforms the fluid flow into rotation motion of multiple layers disks and generates a multiplied electrical output. To achieve the effective structural integration and output multiplication, a D-shape shaft is adopted to facilitate the synchronized relative rotation of all the segmentally-structured disk layers and light weight and low stiffness springs are employed to ensure the intimate contact of the tribo-surfaces. With the above design, the nanogenerator delivers an open-circuit voltage up to ~470V and a short-circuit current density of 90.6mA/m2, corresponding to an instantaneous maximum power density of 42.6W/m2 (2.68kW/m3) at a rotation speed of 1000rpm. By combining the TENG with a water turbine, the device can be effectively driven by a water flow from a common household faucet. This technology represents an important advance of TENGs toward practical applications and shows great potential in hydroelectric power and wind power industries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As the world entering the era of internet of things (IoTs), billions of sensor nodes call for the energy for the new era, which is important application of entropy in energy science. Energy harvesting and self-powered technology based on triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) have been widely recognized as effective solution to providing "random" energy for the "random" units in IoTs. Contact-separation mode, which is one of the most fundamental working mode of TENG, has shown promising potential in mechanical energy harvester and self-powered sensors. In this work, a seesaw structured triboelectric nanogenerator (SS-TENG) is proposed based on contact-separation mode. This structure can largely enhance the relative motion velocity between two tribo-surfaces, and hence improve the output performance of the device. Furthermore, the electric signals of the SS-TENG can be tuned by structure modification to be asymmetric, which can be utilized to monitor the motion direction and velocity of passing objects as well as movement of human foot. After employing C programming, the output signals can be identified and logically analyzed through electric circuits or computers, enabling visual display of sensing results for practical applications. Therefore, this work not only provides a new way of performance enhancement for TENG but also proposes a novel strategy for self-powered motion sensing, showing great potential in the fields of mechanical energy scavenging, traffic monitoring, healthcare sensing, sports rehabilitation, and corrective exercise. Image 1 • Design a seesaw structured TENG with enhenced performance due to the fast changing rate of contact-separation process. • The electric signals of the device can be tuned by asymmetric design structure for application in sensing motion direction, velocity, and human foot motion. • Through C programming, the signals can be identified by circuit, enabling visual display of sensing results for applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]