Versatile nanodot-patterned Gore-Tex fabric for multiple energy harvesting in wearable and aerodynamic nanogenerators

Abstract

The ongoing expedition to harvest ambient renewable energies from the environment by wearable fabric-based nanogenerators is a promising route to sustainably drive the small electronics with unprecedented opportunities in next-generation self-powered devices. Here, we report a simple method to fabricate a washable, breathable and wearable triboelectric nanogenerator that harvests the energy of triboelectricity through an enhanced friction surface area made of the gold nanodot-pattern crafted by electron-beam sputtering on an inexpensive polyurethane surface. The gold deposition which crops-up as regular small islands, under oxygen plasma is subsequently, etched into nanodot-pattern on a polyurethane surface to convert mechanical energy into an electrical signal via in-plane sliding mode with a maximum output of ~2 μW. The nanodot engineering plays an important role to improve the active sliding frictional area, as well as the corresponding output-performance of the triboelectric nanogenerator. To demonstrate the potential applications of our approach, we designed a self-powered wearable device integrated with clothes to harvest different kinds of mechanical energies from the human motion. To elevate the power output-performance, we fabricated waterproof fiber with flutter membrane and quantified triboelectric charge against airflow speed. At mild wind speed, the fabricated triboelectric nanogenerator shows a maximum output of 70 µW. Besides, as an example of practical application, the nanogenerator constructed can produce an improved capacitor charge voltage to drive dozens of light-emitting diodes and apply them to low power consumption devices. This technology is produced in a simple and cost-effective manner and reports an easy way to produce an energy harvesting system based on triboelectric effects using a sustainable and renewable energy source of body motions and air flows. This system is expected to be one of the best green energy sources for portable and wearable electronic devices in the near future.