In this study, we developed an innovative, flexible, organic-inorganic hybrid composite nanogenerator, which was used to drive a self-powered microwire-based pH sensor. The hybrid composite nanogenerator was fabricated using ZnO nanowire and piezoelectric polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride), through a simple, inexpensive solution-casting technique. The fabricated hybrid composite nanogenerator delivered a maximum open-circuit voltage of 6.9 V and a short-circuit current of 0.96 μA, with an output power of 6.624 μW under uniaxial compression. This high-performance, electric poling free composite nanogenerator opens up the possibility of industrial-scale fabrication. The hybrid nanogenerator demonstrated its ability to drive five green LEDs simultaneously, without using an energy-storage device. Additionally, we constructed a self-powered pH sensor, using a ZnO microwire powered with our hybrid nanogenerator. The output voltage varied according to changes in the pH level. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using a hybrid nanogenerator as a self-powered device that can be extended for use as a biosensor for environmental monitoring and/or as a smart, wearable, vibration sensor in future applications.

Summary In this report, we present a simple approach to fabricate the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)‐based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that can be effectively harvest irregular mechanical energy and the energy used to drive a small commercial electronic component. The device exhibited the maximum open‐circuit voltage and short‐circuit current of 6.3 V and 0.635 μA respectively, with maximum output power of 178 nW. In addition, we measured the performance of the fabricated device with different load resistance. Finally, the fabricated PDMS‐based triboelectric nanogenerator can directly drive 10 commercial LEDs connected in series, when the force is applied to the device through finger. These results demonstrate the potential application of PDMS‐based triboelectric nanogenerator for self‐powered systems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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