4 - Advanced fibrous materials for wearable energy harvesting applications

Abstract

Fibrous materials by providing desirable flexibility, deformability, durability, and lightweight are the primary structures for wearable electronics. Besides the usage of microelectronic devices, the choice of advanced materials as the precursor of fibrous structures has significant effects on the capability of wearable energy harvesters. Fiber-based microelectronics are promising devices for the next generation of wearable and implantable energy harvesters, which can be directly worn on the human body or implanted in the human body. The fiber-based devices can reduce the size and weight of implantable medical devices, which subsequently increase comfort and minimize their effects on daily users' activities. The combination of nano-microelectronics and advanced fibrous materials can have significant impacts on the development of wearable and implantable energy harvesters. This chapter presents an insight to the potential and practical application of functional fibrous materials in the wearable energy harvesting application.