Three-Dimensional Polypyrrole Nanoarrays for Wearable Triboelectric Nanogenerators

Abstract

As an energy-harvesting device, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have attracted much attention because they can harvest mechanical energy generated from multiple parts of the human body and easily supply energy to wearable devices. Here, we report a lightweight, portable, and wearable TENG device based on three-dimensional polypyrrole nanoarrays (3D PPy NAs), which can both collect mechanical energy and perform selfpowered sensing. 3D PPy NAs were fabricated by a facile electrochemical deposition method using carbon paper as the substrate, and different growth morphologies of PPy NAs were obtained by controlling the deposition time. Among them, the PPy NAs with a deposition time of 1000 s had the largest frictional effective area with the pores of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), and the constructed PPy-PVDF TENG (2 cm × 2 cm) had the highest output performance, with an open-circuit voltage (V oc ) of 20.2 V and a short-circuit current (I sc ) of 1.3 μA, which are 2.35 and 2.17 times higher than those of the carbon paper TENG (Cp TENG), respectively. In addition, PPy-PVDF TENG can collect mechanical energy from different parts of the human body such as hands, feet, and armpits and realize human motion pattern monitoring and sensing. The device can light up 21 LEDs with the touch of a hand and successfully drive small electronic devices such as a wearable watch and a portable thermohygrometer by integrating the rectifier circuit with a capacitor. This lightweight and portable PPy-PVDF TENG device demonstrates great potential in the field of wearable devices and self-powered sensing.

From Body Monitoring to Biomolecular Sensing: Current Progress and Future Perspectives of Triboelectric Nanogenerators in Point-of-Care Diagnostics

“…Similarly, the work of Zhang et al represents a significant stride in the field of musculoskeletal diagnostics [ 73 ] ( Figure 4 d). They have developed a lightweight, wearable TENG device equipped with fall detection capabilities, which is a vital feature for the elderly and individuals with specific health conditions.…”

“…( d ) The voltage output when PPy-PVDF TENG is worn on different parts of the human body such as underarms, hands, and feet. [Source: ACS (American Chemical Society), 2022] [ 73 ]. ( e ) Application and architecture of the PH-TENG and microstructure of the PVA/PA hydrogel [Source: Elsevier, 2022] [ 74 ].…”

Array-Designed Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Healthcare Diagnostics: Current Progress and Future Perspectives

“…3DPPyNAs were deposited on carbon paper by electrochemical deposition and combined with the porous PVDF film to construct PPy-PVDF TENG. 2022 ACS [52]. (e) The structural design of particle-based TENG.…”

From Biochemical Sensor to Wearable Device: The Key Role of the Conductive Polymer in the Triboelectric Nanogenerator

“…TENGs that are fabricated with a conductive polymer can present multimodal capabilities, high durability, and low-cost features, which hold great promise for wearable detection applications [ 85 ]. The integration of multimodal sensing mechanisms allows these devices to accurately measure and respond to a variety of environmental stimuli, enhancing their versatility in monitoring human movements and other external factors.…”