Triboelectric and Piezoelectric Nanogenerators for Future Soft Robots and Machines

Min Pan; Chenggang Yuan; Xianrong Liang; Jun Zou; Yan Zhang; Chris Bowen

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2020.101682

Triboelectric and Piezoelectric Nanogenerators for Future Soft Robots and Machines

iScience. 2020 Oct 14;23(11):101682. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101682. eCollection 2020 Nov 20.

Authors

Min Pan¹, Chenggang Yuan¹, Xianrong Liang^{1

2}, Jun Zou³, Yan Zhang^{1

4}, Chris Bowen¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bath, BA2 7AY Bath, UK.
² National Engineering Research Centre of Novel Equipment for Polymer Processing, School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083 China.

Abstract

The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG) are two recently developed technologies for effective harvesting of ambient mechanical energy for the creation of self-powered systems. The advantages of TENGs and PENGs which include large open-circuit output voltage, low cost, ease of fabrication, and high conversion efficiency enable their application as new flexible sensors, wearable devices, soft robotics, and machines. This perspective provides an overview of the current state of the art in triboelectric and piezoelectric devices that are used as self-powered sensors and energy harvesters for soft robots and machines; hybrid approaches that combine the advantages of both mechanisms are also discussed. To improve system performance and efficiency, the potential of providing self-powered soft systems with a degree of multifunctionality is investigated. This includes optical sensing, transparency, self-healing, water resistance, photo-luminescence, or an ability to operate in hostile environments such as low temperature, high humidity, or high strain/stretch. Finally, areas for future research directions are identified.

Keywords: Devices; Energy Systems; Nanostructure; Nanotechnology.

Publication types

Review