Mechanically robust, stretchable, autonomously adhesive, and environmentally tolerant triboelectric electronic skin for self-powered healthcare monitoring and tactile sensing

Abstract

As the next-generation electronic device, the triboelectric skin can be used as the main self-powerful interactive equipment for healthcare detection, human-machine interaction, and soft robot. The devices must meet flexibility, mechanical damage-resistance, and environmental stability for practical applications. Herein, a flexible, stretchable, self-healing, environmentally stable, and durable ionic liquid elastomer-based triboelectric generator (ILC-TENG) is fabricated, which of the carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-doped ionic liquid elastomer (ILC) is used as a current collector, while electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride)/polyurethane (PVDF/PU) nanofibrous membrane with better friction resistance is acted as the stretchable triboelectric layer. The PVDF/PU is integrated on the ILC electrode surface by autonomous adhesion. As a result, the peak voltage, current, and power density of ILC-TENG are determined as 180.72 V, 10.22 μA, and 2.44 W m−2, respectively. Under the extensile state (100%), an enhanced energy harvesting performance of ILC-TENG is achieved, which can also recover to its initial state after severe damage and washing process. Furthermore, the ILC-TENG also presents a sub-zero and high-temperature stability. In addition, the joint motions, electro cardio states, and tactile movements can be detected by reading real-time electric signals using the fully integrated ILC-TENG without additional signal conversion and management modules. Therefore, the presented ILC-TENG advances the development of flexible energy harvesters and sensing devices for the self-powered electric skin in human-machine interaction and artificially intelligent.