Anisotropic Fluorinated-Elastomer-Blended Micro-Dominoes for Wearable Triboelectric Nanogenerators

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as promising portable and sustainable energy sources in daily life, harvesting energy from human motion, water, and wind. However, they still face limitations in aspects such as contact area, deformability, wettability, and manufacturing method. Here, a wearable TENG incorporating an anisotropic domino structure based on a fluorinated elastomer blend is presented. Because of its thin, elongated structure with broad sides, the TENG achieves substantially larger contact areas and high bendability. Introducing a fluorinated elastomer into the polydimethylsiloxane matrix via a simple blending process not only enhances the triboelectric performance but also reduces surface energy and improves the stretchability of elastomers. The anisotropic arrangement of dominoes, in synergy with the fluorinated elastomer, mimics the surface physicochemical properties of natural rice leaves, resulting in anisotropic superhydrophobic wetting behavior with a self-cleaning effect and controlled directional water flow for efficient water energy harvesting. Therefore, the TENG functions as an energy-harvesting leaf that captures energy from wind and water droplets, as well as a wearable energy-harvesting wristband that generates power from human motions such as touching, shaking, and hand washing. A wearable triboelectric nanogenerator incorporating a micro-domino structure based on a fluorinated elastomer blend is presented. Based on anisotropic properties of structure, arrangement, and superhydrophobic wetting behavior, the wearable device functions as an energy-harvesting leaf that captures energy from wind and water droplets, as well as a wearable energy-harvesting wristband that generates power from human motions. image