Article Title

Harvesting vibration energy by a triple-cantilever based triboelectric nanogenerator

Authors

Weiqing Yang, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0245, USA State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
Jun Chen, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0245, USA
Guang Zhu, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0245, USA
Xiaonan Wen, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0245, USA
Peng Bai, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0245, USA
Yuanjie Su, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0245, USA State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
Yuan Lin, State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
Zhonglin Wang, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0245, USA Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

Keywords

triboelectric nanogenerator, harvesting vibration energy, triple-cantilever, self-powered systems

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG), a unique technology for harvesting ambient mechanical energy based on triboelectric effect, have been proven to be a cost-effective, simple and robust approach for self-powered systems. Here, we demonstrate a rationally designed triple-cantilever based TENG for harvesting vibration energy. With the assistance of nanowire arrays fabricated onto the surfaces of beryllium–copper alloy foils, the newly designed TENG produces an open-circuit voltage up to 101 V and a short-circuit current of 55.7 μA with a peak power density of 252.3 mW/m2. The TENG was systematically investigated and demonstrated as a direct power source for instantaneously lighting up 40 commercial light-emitting diodes. For the first time, a TENG device has been designed for harvesting vibration energy, especially at low frequencies, opening its application as a new energy technology.

Graphical Abstract

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-013-0364-0

Publisher

Tsinghua University Press

Recommended Citation

Weiqing Yang,Jun Chen,Guang Zhu,Xiaonan Wen,Peng Bai,Yuanjie Su,Yuan Lin,Zhonglin Wang, Harvesting vibration energy by a triple-cantilever based triboelectric nanogenerator. NanoRes.2013, 6(12): 880–886