Calliopsis structure-based triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting wind energy and self-powerd wind speed/direction sensor

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) can harvest various forms of mechanical energy from the surrounding environment and convert them into electrical energy efficiently. Harvesting wind energy from the environment by TENG could be an ideal way to achieve self-powered sensing systems. Herein, a novel calliopsis-inspired biomimetic TENG (C-TENG) was designed for harvesting wind energy and a self-powered wind-parameter sensor. The open-circuit voltage (Voc) and short-circuit current (Isc) of one unit C-TENG can reach 61.7 V and 0.34μA under a wind speed of 15 m/s at a frequency of 5 Hz, and the peak output power is 11.57 mW/m2 under a load resistance of 100 MΩ. This not only collects wind energy effectively but also could be utilized to detect wind speed and direction as a self-powered wind sensor. In this study, we demonstrate a novel type of contact-separation mode TENG in calliopsis structure for wind energy harvesting and promote novel self-powered wind sensors for meteorological monitoring, agricultural production, and the nautical industry.