All flexible electrospun papers based self-charging power system

Abstract

To pace with the miniaturization and flexibility tendency of wearable/portable electronics, it is a challenge to develop the lightweight and sustainable power sources with high efficiency. In this work, we proposed an ultralight and flexible self-charging power system via all electrospun paper based triboelectric nanogenerators (EP-TENGs) as energy harvester and all electrospun paper based supercapacitors (EP-SCs) as storage device, respectively. The EP-TENG, made into arch-shape, derived from one nonconductive PAN paper as a triboelectric layer and conductive carbon paper as electrodes. In EP-SC, the conductive carbon paper acted capacitive materials, while the nonconductive PAN paper severed as separator. Therefore, the superiority of the self-charging system is reflected by the properties of these two kinds of papers with lightweight, convenient, low cost, mechanical flexible and tailorable, which were prepared by a simple electrospinning and followed annealing method. When three-parallel EP-TENGs were further integrated with three-series EP-SCs, the all flexible electrospun papers based self-charging power system was constructed. As an effective and innovative power provider, the self-charging system was demonstrated to admirably power an electronic watch and calculator. The proposed self-charging system can be a promising candidate for self-powered wearable electronics and the development of next generation power system in practical applications.