Self-Sterilized Flexible Single-Electrode Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Energy Harvesting and Dynamic Force Sensing

Triboelectric
nanogenerators (TENGs) offer great opportunities
to deploy advanced wearable electronics that integrate a power generator
and smart sensor, which eliminates the associated cost and sustainability
concerns. Here, an embodiment of such integrated platforms has been
presented in a graphene oxide (GO) based single-electrode TENG (S-TENG).
The as-designed multifunctional device could not only harvest tiny
bits of mechanical energy from ambient movements with a high power
density of 3.13 W·m–2 but also enable detecting
dynamic force with an excellent sensitivity of about 388 μA·MPa–1. Because of the two-dimensional nanostructure and
excellent surface properties, the GO-based S-TENG shows sensitive
force detection and sound antimicrobial activity in comparison with
conventional poly­(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) electrodes. This technology
offers great applicability prospects in portable/wearable electronics,
micro/nanoelectromechanical devices, and self-powered sensors.