A robust and self-powered tilt sensor based on annular liquid-solid interfacing triboelectric nanogenerator for ship attitude sensing

Abstract

Ship's attitude information is of great significance for navigation safety, cargo handling monitoring, and operation management. It is highly desired to develop an electromechanical integrated tilt sensor which can work well under harsh environment. In this paper, a robust and self-powered tilt sensor based on annular liquid-solid interfacing triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is to be proposed and systematically investigated. The TENG tilt sensor is composed of an annular polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tube with copper electrodes segment disposed on the surface and the internal liquid which is encapsulated in PTFE tube with no air bubble. Studies on electrode width and liquid type are conducted to reasonably design the TENG sensor structure and improve its sensitivity. By conducting the durability test, the TENG tilt sensor demonstrates stable output performance and high sensitivity characteristics in low-frequency and low-amplitude inclination conditions. Moreover, the TENG tilt sensor hardly fails due to parts wear since there are no moving parts in it. The advantage of durability, maintenance-free, and independent with the external environment are highlighted in a harsh environment with high humidity, high salinity and strong magnetic field. Therefore, the present TENG tilt sensor is of practical significance for improving the automation and intelligence of ships.