Coplanar induction enabled by asymmetric permittivity of dielectric materials for mechanical energy conversion

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a newly emerged technology for harvesting mechanical energy, which has the promise for various practical applications. Here, we introduce a new principle of TENG in which induced current is generated between two coplanar electrodes because of different dielectric fillers of distinct permittivities. The manipulation of permittivity of dielectric materials for TENG is first reported, demonstrating a novel route in designing high-performance TENGs. When repeatedly contacting with an object, a TENG having lateral dimensions of 21 mm × 10 mm can produce an open-circuit voltage of 58.5 V and a short-circuit current of 44.7 μA. The instantaneous output power density can reach up to 708 μW. Besides, the new design incorporates all electrodes into a single plane, greatly simplifying the structure, promoting robustness, and providing a viable solution for device miniaturization.