A smart Kevlar-based triboelectric nanogenerator with enhanced anti-impact and self-powered sensing properties

Abstract

A novel single electrode triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with high energy-harvesting performance and safeguarding behavior has been developed by integrating carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and shear stiffening gel (SSG) on Kevlar fabric. The output voltage and power of the three layer structure SSG/CNTs/Kevlar-based TENG (S-TENG) reaches to as high as 41.27 V and 212.90 μW, respectively. Due to the good triboelectric property, S-TENG also acts as a wearable self-powered device to harvest as well as monitor various human motions. More importantly, when impacted by a 1.26 kg impactor dropping from 30 cm, S-TENG with enhancing stiffness can not only resist the impact force, but also gather dynamic impact energy by producing an output voltage of 1.50 V. Finally, the mechanical and the electric properties of the S-TENG under the heavy hammer impact and quasi-static piercing has simultaneously investigated. In comparison to the neat Kevlar (7.66 J), the critical impact energy resisted by S-TENG is as high as 19.16 J, indicating a better anti-impacted property. Because of the excellent triboelectric and anti-impact properties, the smart S-TENG with self-power sensing, energy-gathering and safeguarding performance possesses high potential in next generation of body armor materials, robots, wearable electronics and human-machine interactions.