Triboelectric energy harvesting from rice paper/PDMS under extreme humidity environments

Abstract

A flexible and eco-friendly triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on rice paper (RP) and Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was fabricated for efficient energy harvesting. The device produced a high output of 305 V, 2.6 μA current, and a charge of 29 nC. Various biomechanical energies from different body motions were harvested using the RP-PDMS TENG device. Typically, the TENG output depleted under extreme environmental conditions. Hence, the TENG device was packed using a waste polythene pouch, which enabled greater stability of electrical voltage under harsh humidity conditions (>85 % RH). This packed TENG shows great promise for self-powered wearable devices and environmentally robust energy harvesting applications.