Triangulated Cylinder Origami-Based Piezoelectric/Triboelectric Hybrid Generator to Harvest Coupled Axial and Rotational Motion

Piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) and triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are representative technologies that can harvest mechanical energy. In general, piezoelectric/triboelectric hybrid generators can harvest considerable energy with a limited input; however, PENGs and TENGs entail different requirements for harvesting energy. Specifically, PENGs produce a large output when a large mechanical strain is applied, and TENGs require a large surface area to produce a high power. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an innovative strategy in terms of the structural design to satisfy the requirements of both PENGs and TENGs. In this study, we developed a triangulated cylinder origami-based piezoelectric/triboelectric hybrid generator (TCO-HG) with an origami structure to enable effective energy harvesting. The proposed structure consists of a vertical contact-separation TENG on the surface of the triangulated cylinder, PENG on the inner hinge, and rotational TENG on the top substrate to harvest mechanical energy from each motion. Each generator could produce a separate electrical output with a single input. The TCO-HG could charge a 22 mu F commercial capacitor and power 60 LEDs when operated.

Automated summary

The article discusses the working principles of piezoelectric nanogenerators and triboelectric nanogenerators, as well as their characteristics in mechanical energy harvesting. Researchers have developed a triangulated cylinder origami-based piezoelectric/triboelectric hybrid generator to achieve effective energy harvesting.