| May 30, 2022 |
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(Nanowerk News) Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) can collect mechanical energy extensively through contact initiation and electrostatic induction. TENGs have shown a wide range of applications in self-powered sensors and mechanical energy harvesting.
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The contact-separation mode is one of the most fundamental and common modes of working. Previous studies have made efforts for improving output signal of contact-separation TENGs.
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Recently, researchers from the Institute of Mechanics and Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have proposed a new strategy aimed at increasing the charge transfer speed, which provides new paths for improving the output signal. They developed a lever-inspired contact separation TENG (Li-TENG).
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Related results were published in Nano Energy (“Lever-inspired triboelectric nanogenerator with ultra-high output for pulse monitoring”).
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By varying the lever ratio to change the contact separation velocity, the signal output can be significantly increased without changing the charge transfer amount.
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To accommodate the unique rotational motion of the lever, the researchers designed the upper friction layer in the curved shape and investigated the electrical and mechanical properties of the curved-shaped friction layer under different compression strains.
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They found that when the magnification was increased from 22 to 50 times, the voltage of Li-TENG increased from 91 to 232 V and the maximum power from 83 to 1031 µW.
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As self-powered pulse sensor, the Li-TENG measured a pulse signal as high as 12.3 V without surface microstructure treatment.
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This work demonstrates a new strategy which has the potential for improving the signal of contact-separation TENG-based self-powered sensors and energy harvesting devices.
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