An Adhesive Surface Enables High‐Performance Mechanical Energy Harvesting with Unique Frequency‐Insensitive and Pressure‐Enhanced Output Characteristics

Abstract

Viscoelastic polymer adhesives (VPAs) are common materials broadly used in adhesive tapes for bonding objects tightly in daily life. This work presents a conceptually new strategy of using contact electrification (rather than strong adhesion) of VPAs to directly convert mechanical energy to electric energy, generally showing 202–419% of the electric energy generated by conventional mechanical energy harvesters under the same triggering conditions. More notably, the VPA‐based generators (VPAGs) possess unique frequency‐insensitive and pressure‐enhanced output characteristics. The output power of a VPAG not only does not show regular degradation of performance with the decrease of triggering frequency, but also can be further enhanced by simple introduction of a second VPA layer with a smaller area to increase the applied pressure without the requirement of rising applied force. The average output power density of a VPAG with a second layer of 0.5 cm × 0.5 cm can reach 216.7 µW cm−2, which is ≈150% larger than that of a VPAG without a second VPA layer. This research is of significance to harvesting the random, irregular, and low‐frequency (bio‐)mechanical energy that widely exists but is wasted in the environment for both stable electric energy generation and electronic device operation.

Triboelectric Nanogenerator: Structure, Mechanism, and Applications

“…Recently, these results were extended to increase the output power of a TENG. Sticky materials such as the styrene–ethylene–butadiene–styrene (SEBS) copolymer were used to boost the output power by enhancing the adhesive force of the polymer, causing an increase in the magnitude of the material transfer. − These TENG devices showed an anomalously large output compared to TENGs with nonadhesive surfaces.…”

3D Conformal Surface Engineering of Continuous Fibers with Porous Microstructures for 1D Advanced Functional Materials

“…When a F@3CPM ( Figure a) was brought into contact and separation with a triboelectric material via rubbing, the transfer of electrons, ions, and/or molecules is believed to occur, which leads to the generation of opposite but equal triboelectric charges on their contacting areas, respectively. [ 27–29 ] The CE effect of F@3CPMs can be controlled predictably and rationally by the choice of triboelectric materials. When the F@3CPM was rubbed with a triboelectric material with higher positively charged tendency (i.e., yak microfibers, Figure 3b), its surface was found to be negatively charged (Figure 3c), as measured in Figure 3d.…”

Recent advances in wearable textile‐based triboelectric generator systems for energy harvesting from human motion

“…[26][27][28][29] The TTEG has been demonstrated to harvest mechanical energies of human motions, aiming to be wearable power sources or active self-powered sensors. [30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] Ever since the first report of the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) in 2012 by Wang et al, the areal output power density reaches 500 W/m 2 , and the efficiency of TENGs can be up to 85% or higher based on a and well-controlled and extremely small mechanical input. 39,40 However, such small mechanical input rarely exists in our daily life.…”

“…As a versatile mechanical energy harvesting technology, TTEGs can convert such irregular mechanical energy into electricity via the coupling of triboelectrification and electrostatic induction 26‐29 . The TTEG has been demonstrated to harvest mechanical energies of human motions, aiming to be wearable power sources or active self‐powered sensors 30‐38 . Ever since the first report of the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) in 2012 by Wang et al, the areal output power density reaches 500 W/m 2 , and the efficiency of TENGs can be up to 85% or higher based on a and well‐controlled and extremely small mechanical input 39,40 .…”