Triboelectric nanogenerator as self-powered impact sensor

¹ University of Strathclyde, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, 75 Montrose Street, G1 1XJ, Glasgow, UK
² FIDAMC, Avda. Rita Levi Montalcini 29, 28906, Getafe, Spain
³ IMDEA Materials Institute, C/ Eric Kandel 2, 28906, Getafe, Spain

^* Corresponding author: cristobal.garcia@strath.ac.uk

Abstract

In recent years, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are used to harvest mechanical energy from ambient environment. These devices convert ambient energies (e.g. vibrations, breathing-driven, impacts or human body motions) into electricity based on the triboelectric effect. Furthermore, some TENGs can be successfully employed as self-power active sensors because the electric response from the TENG is proportional to the magnitude of the mechanical motion. This study report on the design and development of a novel triboelectric nanogenerator, and its potential application as self-powered impact sensor. To prepare the TENG device, membranes of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers are sandwiched between copper electrode films and wrapped on PET films. The TENG works based on the triboelectric interaction between the membranes of nanofibers. After the preparation, the TENGs are subjected to several impacts by the drop-ball impact test. The purpose of the experiment is to analyse if the electric response of TENG is dependent on the energy of the impact. The results of the experiment are presented and discussed. The main contributions of this work are the preparation of a novel nanogenerator (TENG) based on the triboelectric interaction between polyvinylidene fluoride and polyvinylpyrrolidone sub-micron polymer fibers and the investigation of its potential use as a self-powered impact sensor.