• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.118-132
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• 2024

The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has emerged as a groundbreaking technology for harvesting clean and sustainable energy cost effectively. For reliable TENG design, minimizing wear damage at the friction layers is crucial. This review provides a comprehensive overview of tribometer-integrated TENG testing configurations used in the simultaneous investigation of both tribological and electrical performance. It considers configurations such as plate-on-plate, ball-on-disc, and ball-on-flat tribometers designed for linear reciprocating or rotating sliding friction tests. These tribometers are either specifically designed or adapted for TENG testing. Triboelectric material holders facilitate friction tests by establishing electrical connections from the triboelectric materials or electrodes, thereby enabling accurate measurement of electrical signals. Electrometers and oscilloscopes record electrical outputs such as short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage. This integration enables the simultaneous measurement of both friction and electrical outputs, providing a thorough understanding of TENG performance. The review also summarizes how factors such as normal force, sliding frequency, and rotating speed affect friction coefficients and TENG performance. It also examines the relationship between the coefficient of friction and tribocharges under various loads and frequencies. The review emphasizes the importance of these testing configurations for evaluating both friction and electrical performance, which are crucial for optimizing TENG efficiency. Finally, the review explores future prospects for developing innovative tribometer designs suited for both tribology and TENG testing.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.415.2-415.2
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• 2016

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is one of ways to convert mechanical energy sound, waves, wind, vibrations, and human motions to available electrical energy. The principal mechanism to generate electrical energy is based on contact electrification on material surface and electrostatic induction between electrodes. The performance of TENG are dependent on amount of the input mechanical energy and characteristics of triboelectric materials. Furthermore, the whole TENG system including mechanical structure and electrical system can effect on output performance of TENG. In this work, we investigated the effect of gear train on output performance and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of TENG under a given input energy. We applied the gear train on mechanical structure to improve the contact rate. We measured the output energy under a constant input energy by controlling the size of the working gear. We prepared gears with gear ratios (rin/rw) of 1, 1.7, and 5. Under the constant input energy, the voltage and current from our gear-based TENG system were enhanced up to the maximum of 3.6 times and 4.4 times, respectively. Also, the PCE was increased up to 7 times at input frequency of 1.5 Hz. In order to understand the effect of kinematic design on TENG system, we performed a capacitor experiment with rectification circuit that provide DC voltage and current. Under the input frequency of 4.5 Hz, we obtained a 3 times enhanced rectifying voltage at a gear ratio of 5. The measured capacitor voltage was enhanced up to about 8 fold in using our TENG system. It is attributed that our gear-based TENG system could improve simultaneously the magnitude as well as the generation time of output power, finally enhancing output energy. Therefore, our gear-based TENG system provided an effective way to enhance the PCE of TENGs operating at a given input energy.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.34-43
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• 2024

New piezoelectric and triboelectric materials for energy harvesting are being widely researched to reduce their processing cost and complexity and to improve their energy conversion efficiency. In this study, BaTiO₃ films of various thickness were deposited on Ni foams by R.F. magnetron sputtering to study the piezoelectric and triboelectric properties of the porous spongy structure materials. Then piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) were prepared with spongy structured BaTiO₃ and PDMS composite. The output performance exhibited a positive dependence on the thickness of the BaTiO₃ film, pushing load, and poling. The PENG output voltage and current were 4.4 V and 0.453 ㎂ at an applied stress of 120 N when poled with a 300 kV/cm electric field. The electrical properties of the fabricated PENG were stable even after 5,000 cycles of durability testing. The triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) were fabricated using spongy structured BaTiO₃ and various polymer films as dielectrics and operated in a vertical contact separation mode. The maximum peak to peak voltage and current of the composite film-based triboelectric nanogenerator were 63.2 V and 6 ㎂, respectively. This study offers new insights into the design and fabrication of high output nanogenerators using spongy structured materials.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.312-322
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• 2020

As the use of mobile devices increase, there is public interest in the utilization of the human motion generated mechanical energy. The human motion generated mechanical energies vary depending on the body region, type of motion, etc., and an appropriate device has to be designed to utilize them effectively. In this work, a device based on the principles of triboelectric generation and inertia was assessed in order to utilize the multi-axial mechanical energies generated by human motions. To improve the output performance we confirm the changes in the output that vary with the structural design, the reasons for such changes, and variations in performance based on the parts of the human body. In addition, the level of electrical energy generated based on motion type was measured; a maximum voltage of 30 V and a current of 2 ㎂ were generated. Finally, the proposed device was utilized in LEDs used for lighting, thus demonstrating that multi-axial mechanical energies can be harvested effectively. Based on the results, we expect that the developed device can be utilized as a sensor to detect mechanical energies, to sense changes in motion, or as a generator for auxiliary power supply for mobile devices.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.243-250
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• 2020

Energy harvesting is a recent technology involving the harvest and utilization of extremely small surrounding energy. Energy harvesting research is conducted in various fields. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are energy harvesting technologies that use static electricity generated by physical movement or friction. Although TENGs generate output power in microwatt levels, they experience high internal impedance compared with other energy harvesting generators, thereby making the continuous transfer of electric power to loads difficult. This study proposes a power management system for TENGs that consists of three stages, that is, an AC/DC rectifier, an impedance coupler switch with a capacitor bank, and a DC/DC converter. In addition, the selection method of the AC/DC rectifier and DC/DC converter is proposed to maximize the amount of power transferred from energy harvesting areas. Furthermore, the impedance coupler switch and capacitor bank are discussed in detail. The validity and performance of the proposed three-stage power management system for TENGs are verified using a prototype system.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.376-382
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• 2022

A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) can obtain electrical output due to the reciprocal motion between two objects (i.e., rubbing), in which repetitive contact is made. High reliability, stable output, and high reproducibility are important aspects of the electrical output obtained through a TENG as a sensor or generator, thus enabling its meaningful use. Therefore, many researchers fabricated TENGs into individual parts in the form of one module type to obtain high reproducibility and reliability. Since a TENG manufactured as a module type operates as a single device, it is possible to collect kinetic energy and convert it into electrical energy through the interaction between internally configured elements without the need for a separate structure. In addition, it is relatively easy to apply the size to the body, machine tools, and natural environment by simply adjusting the size suitable for use and surrounding environmental conditions. In this paper, the application cases of module-type TENGs are divided into four areas, and the research progress of module-type TENGs in each area is extensively reviewed.

• Composites Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.224-229
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• 2023

Due to the increasing demand for wearable devices and miniaturization of various electronic devices, the trend of nanofabrication in IT devices is underway. In order to overcome the limitations of battery size and capacity, there has been a lot of research interest in energy harvesting technology, also known as triboelectric nanogenerator. AAO(Anodic Aluminum oxide) coated with fluoride is a structure that includes an anode layer with high properties in the triboelectric series, an dielectric layer that helps transfer the triboelectrically generated charges to the electrode without loss, and the electrode. For these reasons, AAO has been a lot of research on its application to frictional energy harvesting nanogenerators. In this work, we analyzed the correlation of AAO between the surface morphology and thickness of the insulating layer by utilizing aluminum oxide, which is advantageous for the application of triboelectric nanogenerators, and adjusting the thickness of the insulating layer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.9-15
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• 2022

Discarded bio-wastes, such as seeds and rinds, cause environmental problems. Multiple studies have recycled bio-wastes as eco-friendly energy sources to solve these problems. This study uses bio-waste to fabricate a mandarin peel powder based triboelectric nanogenerator (MPP-TENG). The MPP-TENG is based on the contact separation mode. It generates an open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of 156V and 2µA, respectively. In addition, MPP-TENG shows stable operation over continuous 3000s without any deviation in output. Also, the device exhibits maximum power density of 5.3㎼/cm² when connected to a resistance of 100MΩ. In an energy storage capacity test for 1000s, the MPP-TENG stores an energy of 171.6µJ in a 4.7µF capacitor. The MPP-TENG can power 9 blue LEDs and 54 green lettering LEDs. These results confirm that the MPP-TENG can provide a new avenue for eco-friendly energy harvesting device fabrication.

• Composites Research
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.301-306
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• 2019

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is one of the energy harvesting methods in spotlight that can convert mechanical energy into electricity. As TENGs produce high electrical output, previous studies have shown TENGs that can power small electronics independently. However, recent studies have reported limitations of TENG due to air breakdown and field emission. In this study, we developed a triboelectric nanogenerator that utilizes the metal-to-metal surface contact to induce ion-enhanced field emission and electron avalanche for electrons to flow directly between two electrodes. The average peak open-circuit voltage of this TENG was measured as 340 V, and average peak closed-circuit current was measured as 10 mA. The electrical output of this TENG has shown different value depending on the surface charge of surface charge generation layer. The TENG developed in this study have produced RMS power of 0.9 mW, which is 2.4 times higher compared to conventional TENGs. The TENG developed in this study can be utilized in charging batteries and capacitors to power portable electronics and sensors independently.

• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.139-142
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• 2024

This study explores the impact of polymer blending on the mechanical properties and triboelectric energy harvesting capability of composite polymers. A multifunctional free-standing polymer blend composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) was fabricated using a polymer casting method. Stress-strain analysis of the polymer blend revealed an enhanced stretchability of 308.4% with excellent transparency. Furthermore, triboelectric analysis revealed dynamic energy harvesting capabilities with impressive electrical voltage and current output of 50 V and 5 μA. These results represent a significant improvement compared to individual PVA and PDDA polymers and highlight the potential of polymer blending to enhance both mechanical and electrical properties for energy harvesting applications.