Self-powered liquid crystal lens based on a triboelectric nanogenerator

Abstract

Liquid crystal (LC) is an intermediate state compound between liquid and crystal, which has the anisotropy of crystal molecules while having the fluidity of liquid. It is a cutting-edge technology in optoelectronics. The large-aperture LC lens require larger voltages, and there are certain safety issues and equipment requirements. This situation indicates a great need for a safe and portable low-power device. A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) can collect the energy in the environment and convert it into usable electric energy. It has the advantages of small size and convenient portability, and can realize the use of renewable energy. This paper proposes a novel feather TENG (F-TENG) using feathers as friction materials. The approximate values of open-circuit voltage and short circuit current of the manufactured F-TENG can reach 247 V and 27 μA, respectively. After simple processing of the device, the performance can be further improved. We realized the use of F-TENG to power a LC lens test system, thus providing a new application idea for the display field. This study provides a simple and inexpensive method for harvesting mechanical energy to power experimental test equipment and facilitate the large-scale, intelligent practical application of TENG systems.