Gel-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Flexible Sensing:Principles,Properties,and Applications

The rapid development of the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence technologies has increased the need for wearable,portable,and self-powered flexible sensing devices.Triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs)based on gel materials(with excellent conductivity,mechanical tunability,environmental adaptability,and biocompatibility)are considered an advanced approach for developing a new generation of flexible sensors.This review comprehensively summarizes the recent advances in gel-based TENGs for flexible sensors,covering their principles,properties,and applications.Based on the development requirements for flexible sensors,the working mechanism of gel-based TENGs and the characteristic advantages of gels are introduced.Design strategies for the performance optimization of hydrogel-,organogel-,and aerogel-based TENGs are systematically summarized.In addition,the applications of gel-based TENGs in human motion sensing,tactile sensing,health monitoring,environmental monitoring,human-machine interaction,and other related fields are summarized.Finally,the challenges of gel-based TENGs for flexible sensing are discussed,and feasible strategies are proposed to guide future research.

Recent advances in high charge density triboelectric nanogenerators

Triboelectric materials with high charge density are the building-block for the commercial application of triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs).Unstable dynamic processes influence the change of the charge density on the surface and inside of triboelectric materials.The charge density of triboelectric materials depends on the surface and the internal charge transfer processes.The focus of this review is on recent advances in high charge density triboelectric materials and advances in the fabrication of TENGs.We summarize the existing strategies for achieving high charge density in triboelectric materials as well as their fundamental properties.We then review current optimization methods for regulating dynamic charge transfer processes to increase the output charge density:first,increasing charge injection and limiting charge dissipation to achieve a high average surface charge density,and second,regulating the internal charge transfer process and storing charge in triboelectric materials to increase the output charge density.Finally,we present the challenges and prospects in developing high-performance triboelectric materials.

Recent advances in stretchable triboelectric nanogenerators for use in wearable bioelectronic devices

Wearable bioelectronic devices have the capacity for real-time human health monitoring,the provision of tailored services,and natural interaction with smart devices.However,these wearable bioelectronic devices rely on conventional rigid batteries that are frequently charged or replaced and are incompatible with the skin,leading to a discontinuity in complex therapeutic tasks related to human health monitoring and human-machine interaction.Stretchable triboelectric nanogenerator(TENG)is a high-efficiency energy harvesting technology that converts mechanical into electrical energy,effectively powering wearable bioelectronic devices.This study comprehensively overviews recent advances in stretchable TENG for use in wearable bioelectronic devices.The working mechanism of stretchable TENG is initially explained.A comprehensive discussion presents the approaches for fabricating stretchable TENG,including the design of stretchable structures and the selection of stretchable materials.Furthermore,applications of wearable bioelectronic devices based on stretchable TENG in human health monitoring(body movements,pulse,and respiration)and human-machine interaction(touch panels,machine control,and virtual reality)are introduced.Ultimately,the challenges and developmental trends regarding wearable bioelectronic devices based on stretchable TENG are elaborated.

Advances in Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Blue Energy Harvesting and Marine Environmental Monitoring

Blue energy,which includes rainfall,tidal current,wave,and water-flow energy,is a promising renewable resource,although its exploitation is limited by current technologies and thus remains low.This form of energy is mainly harvested by electromagnetic generators(EMGs),which generate electricity via Lorenz force-driven electron flows.Triboelectric nano genera tors(TENGs)and TENG networks exhibit superiority over EMGs in low-frequency and high-entropy energy harvesting as a new approach for blue energy harvesting.A TENG produces electrical outputs by adopting the mechanism of Maxwell’s displacement current.To date,a series of research efforts have been made to optimize the structure and performance of TENGs for effective blue energy harvesting and marine environmental applications.Despite the great progress that has been achieved in the use of TENGs in this context so far,continuous exploration is required in energy conversion,device durability,power management,and environmental applications.This review reports on advances in TENGs for blue energy harvesting and marine environmental monitoring.It introduces the theoretical foundations of TENGs and discusses advanced TENG prototypes for blue energy harvesting,including TENG structures that function in freestanding and contact-separation modes.Performance enhancement strategies for TENGs intended for blue energy harvesting are also summarized.Finally,marine environmental applications of TENGs based on blue energy harvesting are discussed.

Application of different fiber structures and arrangements by electrospinning in triboelectric nanogenerators

In recent years,nanogenerators(NGs)have attracted wide attention in the energy field,among which triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs)have shown superior performance.Multiple reports of electrospinning(ES)-based TENGs have been reported,but there is a lack of deep analysis of the designing method from microstructure,limiting the creative of new ES-based TENGs.Most TENGs use polymer materials to achieve corresponding design,which requires structural design of polymer materials.The existing polymer molding design methods include macroscopic molding methods,such as injection,compression,extrusion,calendering,etc.,combined with liquid-solid changes such as soluting and melting;it also includes micro-nano molding technology,such as melt-blown method,coagulation bath method,ES method,and nanoimprint method.In fact,ES technology has good controllability of thickness dimension and rich means of nanoscale structure regulation.At present,these characteristics have not been reviewed.Therefore,in this paper,we combine recent reports with some microstructure regulation functions of ES to establish a more general TENGs design method.Based on the rich microstructure research results in the field of ES,much more new types of TENGs can be designed in the future.

Advances in magnetic-assisted triboelectric nanogenerators:structures,materials and self-sensing systems

Triboelectric nanogenerators(TENG),renowned for their remarkable capability to harness weak mechanical energy from the environment,have gained considerable attention owing to their cost-effectiveness,high output,and adaptability.This review provides a unique perspective by conducting a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of magnetically assisted TENGs that encompass structures,materials,and self-powered sensing systems.We systematically summarize the diverse functions of the magnetic assistance for TENGs,including system stiffness,components of the hybrid electromagnetic-triboelectric generator,transmission,and interaction forces.In the material domain,we review the incorporation of magnetic nano-composites materials,along with ferrofluid-based TENG and microstructure verification,which have also been summarized based on existing research.Furthermore,we delve into the research progress on physical quantity sensing and human-machine interface in magnetic-assisted TENGs.Our analysis highlights that magnetic assistance extends beyond the repulsive and suction forces under a magnetic field,thereby playing multifaceted roles in improving the output performance and environmental adaptability of the TENGs.Finally,we present the prevailing challenges and offer insights into the future trajectory of the magnetic-assisted TENGs development.

Investigation of Power Density Amplification in Stacked Triboelectric Nanogenerators

In engineering practice,the output performance of contact separation TENGs(CS-TENGs)increases with the increase of tribo-pair area,which includes increasing the size of single layer CS-TENGs(SCS-TENGs)or the number of units(zigzag TENGs).However,such two strategies show significant differences in output power and power density.In this study,to seek a universal CS-TENG design solution,the output performance of a SCS-TENG and a zigzag TENG(Z-TENG)is systematically compared,including voltage,current,transferred charge,instantaneous power density,and charging power density.The relationship between contact area and output voltages is explored,and the output voltage equation is fitted.The experimental results reveal that SCS-TENGs yield better performance than Z-TENGs in terms of voltage,power,and power density under the same total contact area.Z-TENGs show energy loss during the transfer of mechanical energy,and such loss is aggravated by the increasing number of units.The instantaneous peak power of the SCS-TENG is up to 22 times that of the Z-TENG(45 cm^(2)).Furthermore,the power density of capacitor charging of SCS-TENGs is 131%of that of Z-TENGs,which are relatively close.Z-TENG is a feasible alternative when the working space is limited.

Recent advances in fabricating high-performance triboelectric nanogenerators via modulating surface charge density

Triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs),a type of promising micro/nano energy source,have been arousing tremendous research interest since their inception and have been the subject of many striking developments,including defining the fundamental physical mechanisms,expanding applications in mechanical to electric power conversion and self-powered sensors,etc.TENGs with a superior surface charge density at the interfaces of the electrodes and dielectrics are found to be crucial to the enhancement of the performance of the devices.Here,an overview of recent advances,including material optimization,circuit design,and strategy conjunction,in developing TENGs through surface charge enhancement is presented.In these topics,different strategies are retrospected in terms of charge transport and trapping mechanisms,technical merits,and limitations.Additionally,the current challenges in high-performance TENG research and the perspectives in this field are discussed.

Wearable Triboelectric Nanogenerators Based on Printed Polyvinylidene Fluoride Films Incorporated with Cobalt-Based Metal-Organic Framework for Self-Powered Mobile Electronics

In this study,wearable triboelectric nanogenerators comprising bar-printed polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF)films incorporated with cobalt-based metal-organic framework(Co-MOF)were developed.The enhanced output performance of the TENGs was attributed to the phase transition of PVDF from a-crystals toβ-crystals,as facilitated by the incorporation of the MOF.The synthesis conditions,including metal ion,concentration,and particle size of the MOF,were optimized to increase open-circuit voltage(VOC)and open-circuit current(I_(SC))of PVDF-based TENGs.In addition to high operational stability,mechanical robustness,and long-term reliability,the developed TENG consisting of PVDF incorporated with Co-MOF(Co-MOF@PVDF)achieved a VOC of 194 V and an I_(SC)of 18.8μA.Furthermore,the feasibility of self-powered mobile electronics was demonstrated by integrating the developed wearable TENG with rectifier and control units to power a global positioning system(GPS)device.The local position of the user in real-time through GPS was displayed on a mobile interface,powered by the battery charged through friction-induced electricity generation.

Advances in Graphene‑Based Electrode for Triboelectric Nanogenerator

With the continuous development of wearable electronics,wireless sensor networks and other micro-electronic devices,there is an increasingly urgent need for miniature,flexible and efficient nanopower generation technology.Triboelectric nanogenerator(TENG)technology can convert small mechanical energy into electricity,which is expected to address this problem.As the core component of TENG,the choice of electrode materials significantly affects its performance.Traditional metal electrode materials often suffer from problems such as durability,which limits the further application of TENG.Graphene,as a novel electrode material,shows excellent prospects for application in TENG owing to its unique structure and excellent electrical properties.This review systematically summarizes the recent research progress and application prospects of TENGs based on graphene electrodes.Various precision processing methods of graphene electrodes are introduced,and the applications of graphene electrode-based TENGs in various scenarios as well as the enhancement of graphene electrodes for TENG performance are discussed.In addition,the future development of graphene electrode-based TENGs is also prospectively discussed,aiming to promote the continuous advancement of graphene electrode-based TENGs.

Fully Fabric-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators as Self-Powered Human-Machine Interactive Keyboards

Combination flexible and stretchable textiles with self-powered sensors bring a novel insight into wearable functional electronics and cyber security in the era of Internet of Things.This work presents a highly flexible and self-powered fully fabric-based triboelectric nanogenerator(F-TENG)with sandwiched structure for biomechanical energy harvesting and real-time biometric authentication.The prepared F-TENG can power a digital watch by low-frequency motion and respond to the pressure change by the fall of leaves.A self-powered wearable keyboard(SPWK)is also fabricated by integrating large-area F-TENG sensor arrays,which not only can trace and record electrophysiological signals,but also can identify individuals’typing characteristics by means of the Haar wavelet.Based on these merits,the SPWK has promising applications in the realm of wearable electronics,self-powered sensors,cyber security,and artificial intelligences.

Harvesting Environment Mechanical Energy by Direct Current Triboelectric Nanogenerators

As hundreds of millions of distributed devices appear in every corner of our lives for information collection and transmission in big data era,the biggest challenge is the energy supply for these devices and the signal transmission of sensors.Triboelectric nanogenerator(TENG)as a new energy technology meets the increasing demand of today’s distributed energy supply due to its ability to convert the ambient mechanical energy into electric energy.Meanwhile,TENG can also be used as a sensing system.Direct current triboelectric nanogenerator(DC-TENG)can directly supply power to electronic devices without additional rectification.It has been one of the most important developments of TENG in recent years.Herein,we review recent progress in the novel structure designs,working mechanism and corresponding method to improve the output performance for DC-TENGs from the aspect of mechanical rectifier,tribovoltaic effect,phase control,mechanical delay switch and air-discharge.The basic theory of each mode,key merits and potential development are discussed in detail.At last,we provide a guideline for future challenges of DC-TENGs,and a strategy for improving the output performance for commercial applications.

Multidiscipline Applications of Triboelectric Nanogenerators for the Intelligent Era of Internet of Things

In the era of 5G and the Internet of things(IoTs),vari-ous human-computer interaction systems based on the integration of triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs)and IoTs technologies dem-onstrate the feasibility of sustainable and self-powered functional systems.The rapid development of intelligent applications of IoTs based on TENGs mainly relies on supplying the harvested mechanical energy from surroundings and implementing active sensing,which have greatly changed the way of human production and daily life.This review mainly introduced the TENG applications in multidisci-pline scenarios of IoTs,including smart agriculture,smart industry,smart city,emergency monitoring,and machine learning-assisted artificial intelligence applications.The challenges and future research directions of TENG toward IoTs have also been proposed.The exten-sive developments and applications of TENG will push forward the IoTs into an energy autonomy fashion.

Self-charging power textiles integrating energy harvesting triboelectric nanogenerators with energy storage batteries/supercapacitors

Lightweight and flexible self-charging power systems with synchronous energy harvesting and energy storage abilities are highly desired in the era of the internet of things and artificial intelligences,which can provide stable,sustainable,and autonomous power sources for ubiquitous,distributed,and low-power wearable electronics.However,there is a lack of comprehensive review and challenging discussion on the state-of-the-art of the triboelectric nanogenetor(TENG)-based self-charging power textiles,which have a great possibility to become the future energy autonomy power sources.Herein,the recent progress of the self-charging power textiles hybridizing fiber/fabric based TENGs and fiber/fabric shaped batteries/supercapacitors is comprehensively summarized from the aspect of textile structural designs.Based on the current research status,the key bottlenecks and brighter prospects of self-charging power textiles are also discussed in the end.It is hoped that the summary and prospect of the latest research of self-charging power textiles can help relevant researchers accurately grasp the research progress,focus on the key scientific and technological issues,and promote further research and practical application process.

Advances in self-powered sports monitoring sensors based on triboelectric nanogenerators

The new era of the internet of things brings great opportunities to the field of intelligent sports.The collection and analysis of sports data are becoming more intelligent driven by the widely-distributed sensing network system.Triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs)can collect and convert energy as selfpowered sensors,overcoming the limitations of external power supply,frequent power replacement and high-cost maintenance.Herein,we introduce the working modes and principles of TENGs,and then summarize the recent advances in self-powered sports monitoring sensors driven by TENGs in sports equipment facilities,wearable equipment and competitive sports specialities.We discuss the existing issues,i.e.,device stability,material sustainability,device design rationality,textile TENG cleanability,sports sensors safety,kinds and manufacturing of sports sensors,and data collection comprehensiveness,and finally,propose the countermeasures.This work has practical significance to the current TENG applications in sports monitoring,and TENG-based sensing technology will have a broad prospect in the field of intelligent sports in the future.

Chitosan-based triboelectric materials for self-powered sensing at high temperatures

Although biopolymers have been widely utilized as triboelectric materials for the construction of self-powered sensing systems,the annihilation of triboelectric charges at high temperatures restricts the output signals and sensitivity of the assembled sensors.Herein,a novel chitosan/montmorillonite/lignin(CML)composite film was designed and employed as a tribopositive layer in the assembly of a self-powered sensing system for use under hot conditions(25-70℃).The dense contact surface resulting from the strong intermolecular interaction between biopolymers and nanofillers restrained the volatilization of induced electrons.The optimized CML-TENG delivered the highest open-circuit voltage(V_(oc))of 262 V and maximum instantaneous output power of 429 mW/m^(2).Pristine CH-TENG retained only 39%of its initial Voc at 70℃,whereas the optimized CM_(5)L_(3)-TENG retained 66%of its initial Voc.Our work provides a new strategy for suppressing the annihilation of triboelectric charges at high temperatures,thus boosting the development of self-powered sensing devices for application under hot conditions.

A Review of Contact Electrification at Diversified Interfaces and Related Applications on Triboelectric Nanogenerator

The triboelectric nanogenerator(TENG)can effectively collect energy based on contact electrification(CE)at diverse interfaces,including solid–solid,liquid–solid,liquid–liquid,gas–solid,and gas–liquid.This enables energy harvesting from sources such as water,wind,and sound.In this review,we provide an overview of the coexistence of electron and ion transfer in the CE process.We elucidate the diverse dominant mechanisms observed at different interfaces and emphasize the interconnectedness and complementary nature of interface studies.The review also offers a comprehensive summary of the factors influencing charge transfer and the advancements in interfacial modification techniques.Additionally,we highlight the wide range of applications stemming from the distinctive characteristics of charge transfer at various interfaces.Finally,this review elucidates the future opportunities and challenges that interface CE may encounter.We anticipate that this review can offer valuable insights for future research on interface CE and facilitate the continued development and industrialization of TENG.

Improved Flexible Triboelectric Nanogenerator Based on Tile-Nanostructure for Wireless Human Health Monitor

Triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs)have emerged as promising candidates for integrating with flexible electronics as self-powered systems owing to their intrinsic flexibility,biocompatibility,and miniaturization.In this study,an improved flexible TENG with a tile-nanostructured MXene/polymethyl methacrylate(PMMA)composite electrode(MP-TENG)is proposed for use in wireless human health monitor.The multifunctional tile-nanostructured MXene/PMMA film,which is self-assembled through vacuum filtration,exhibits good conductivity,excellent charge capacity,and high flexibility.Thus,the MXene/PMMA composite electrode can simultaneously function as a charge-generating,charge-trapping,and charge-collecting layer.Furthermore,the charge-trapping capacity of a tile nanostructure can be optimized on the basis of the PMMA concentration.At a mass fraction of 4%PMMA,the MP-TENG achieves the optimal output performance,with an output voltage of 37.8 V,an output current of 1.8μA,and transferred charge of 14.1 nC.The output power is enhanced over twofold compared with the pure MXene-based TENG.Moreover,the MP-TENG has sufficient power capacity and durability to power small electronic devices.Finally,a wireless human motion monitor based on the MP-TENG is utilized to detect physiological signals in various kinematic motions.Consequently,the proposed performance-enhanced MP-TENG proves a considerable potential for use in health monitoring,telemedicine,and self-powered systems.

Ultra-Robust and High-Performance Rotational Triboelectric Nanogenerator by Bearing Charge Pumping

As an emerging technology to convert environmental high-entropy energy into electrical energy,triboelectric nanogenerator(TENG)has great demands for further enhancing the service lifetime and output performance in practical applications.Here,an ultra-robust and high-performance rotational triboelectric nanogenerator(R-TENG)by bearing charge pumping is proposed.The R-TENG composes of a pumping TENG(P-TENG),an output TENG(O-TENG),a voltage-multiplying circuit(VMC),and a buffer capacitor.The P-TENG is designed with freestanding mode based on a rolling ball bearing,which can also act as the rotating mechanical energy harvester.The output low charge from the P-TENG is accumulated and pumped to the non-contact O-TENG,which can simultaneously realize ultralow mechanical wear and high output performance.The matched instantaneous power of R-TENG is increased by 32 times under 300 r/min.Furthermore,the transferring charge of R-TENG can remain 95%during 15 days(6.4×10^(6)cycles)continuous operation.This work presents a realizable method to further enhance the durability of TENG,which would facilitate the practical applications of high-performance TENG in harvesting distributed ambient micro mechanical energy.

Compliant Iontronic Triboelectric Gels with Phase-Locked Structure Enabled by Competitive Hydrogen Bonding

Rapid advancements in flexible electronics technology propel soft tactile sensing devices toward high-level biointegration,even attaining tactile perception capabilities surpassing human skin.However,the inherent mechanical mismatch resulting from deficient biomimetic mechanical properties of sensing materials poses a challenge to the application of wearable tactile sensing devices in human-machine interaction.Inspired by the innate biphasic structure of human subcutaneous tissue,this study discloses a skin-compliant wearable iontronic triboelectric gel via phase separation induced by competitive hydrogen bonding.Solvent-nonsolvent interactions are used to construct competitive hydrogen bonding systems to trigger phase separation,and the resulting soft-hard alternating phase-locked structure confers the iontronic triboelectric gel with Young’s modulus(6.8-281.9 kPa)and high tensile properties(880%)compatible with human skin.The abundance of reactive hydroxyl groups gives the gel excellent tribopositive and self-adhesive properties(peel strength>70 N m^(−1)).The self-powered tactile sensing skin based on this gel maintains favorable interface and mechanical stability with the working object,which greatly ensures the high fidelity and reliability of soft tactile sensing signals.This strategy,enabling skin-compliant design and broad dynamic tunability of the mechanical properties of sensing materials,presents a universal platform for broad applications from soft robots to wearable electronics.