As a new type of energy harvesting and conversion device, nanogenerator can collect various energies from daily life environment and convert it into electrical energy; it has great flexibility and can provide power for small independent systems. The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is widely concerned because of their high output energy density. However, in the case of an open circuit, there will be static charge accumulation on the friction surface. The high voltage generated by the accumulation of charge on the surface will bring the risk of electrostatic discharge (ESD) to nearby circuits. To solve this problem, we have used the ordered polymer nanofibers obtained by electrospinning technology to form an anisotropic triboelectric nanogenerator with better tensile properties and mechanical strength than disordered electrospinning TENG. By adjusting the effective contact area, the voltage output in the longitudinal direction is one order of magnitude higher than the voltage output in the lateral direction. When not in use, the nanogenerator can be rotated 90°, so static charge accumulation and circuit burnout can be avoided, providing an easy method of preventing ESD in a wearable environment.
Keywords: anisotropy; electrospinning; electrostatic discharge; fiber membrane; triboelectric nanogenerator.