Triboelectric nanogenerator points to power for wearable devices

A Sino American research team has developed a triboelectric nanogenerator, a wearable metallic tab that generates electricity from the simple physical movements.

The tab – developed in a project led by University at Buffalo and Institute of Semiconductors (IoP) at Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) - is described in a study published in Nano Energy.

"No one likes being tethered to a power outlet or lugging around a portable charger. The human body is an abundant source of energy. We thought: 'Why not harness it to produce our own power?'" said lead author Qiaoqiang Gan, PhD, associate professor of electrical engineering in UB's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Triboelectric charging occurs when certain materials become electrically charged after coming into contact with a different material.

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have been proposed before, but most are difficult to manufacture because they require complex lithography, or are not cost-effective. The tab that the UB and CAS team are developing is said to address both issues