Stretchable 3D polymer for simultaneously mechanical energy harvesting and biomimetic force sensing

Abstract

Stretchability is an essential element for wearable electronics. Creating intelligent devices using stretchable polymers, which can simultaneously harvest mechanical energies and mimic the properties of fast adapting (FA) receptors, could be of significant importance for plastic bioelectronics and transistors. In this paper, we report an all-organic triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that enables both energy harvesting and biomimetic pressure sensing on the base of three-dimensional polypyrrole (PPy) network. By combining with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and BaTiO3 nanoparticles, this composite triboelectric interface shows not only an enhanced uniaxial stretchability of up to 310%, but also a high short circuit current density of 18.0 mA m−2 in response to the environment or human motions. Such an excellent electric response further enables the sensitive detection of ambient mechanical energy. For example, the sensitivities of this stretchable device to acceleration, static and dynamic pressures are of 1.03 µA s2·m−1, 12.61 pF·kPa−1 and 57.78 µA MPa−1, respectively. In addition, sensitive responses to bending and curling force are also demonstrated. These results demonstrate an ideal way for developing self-driven electronic skins and biomimetic tactile sensors with intriguing flexibility, stretchability and sustainability.