No-Wear Vibration Energy Harvester Based on a Triboelectric Mechanism

Vibration energy is abundant in the atmosphere and has the potential to be harvested by various mechanisms. A triboelectric energy harvester (TEH), based on the triboelectric mechanism, has substantial potential to harvest vibration energy due to its high performance, extensive availability, and low-cost electrical energy production. This article examines the mechanical and electrical behaviors of vertical contact mode TEHs. TEHs have been designed and built to harvest low-frequency mechanical vibration produced by human footsteps on floor tiles and vehicle movement. Here, an experimental study is presented using various mechanical vibration modes including sinusoidal, square, triangular, and ramp modes. Experimental results showed that the device produced a power output between 17.91 μW and 25.83 μW at a root mean square (RMS) voltage level between 33.49 V and 129 V under loading resistance of 5 MΩ at 10 Hz resonant frequency and 1 g acceleration. The energy density of the TEH (243.7 µJ/cm³) was higher for ramp vibration. In addition, the stability and the durability of the fabricated TEH are analyzed. The developed TEH can convert mechanical energy into electric energy and light 65 red light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The device can extract energy from a broad range of low-frequency (<10 Hz) vibrations and has vast application potential in self-powered electronic devices and systems.