Foldable and portable triboelectric-electromagnetic generator for scavenging motion energy and as a sensitive gas...

An easily foldable and portable triboelectric-electromagnetic generator (TEMG) based on two polymer/Al layers and one copper coil has been designed to harvest ambient mechanical energy, where the copper coil is used both as a spring to achieve contact and separation of triboelectric layers and as a circuit to collect electromagnetic-induced electricity. The output performance of the TEMG is approximately reproducible after being folded many times. The working mechanism is discussed. The output performance of individual triboelectric generator (TEG) and electromagnetic generator (EMG) are systematically investigated. The maximum output current, voltage, and power are obtained to be 32.2 μA, 500 V, and 2 mW for the TEG, and 4.04 mA, 30 mV, and 15.8 μW for the EMG, respectively. The TEG with a higher internal resistance can be used as a current source, while the EMG with a lower resistance can be used as a voltage source. It can be used as a mobile light source via integrating the TEMG in clothes or bags, and as a self-powered gas flow sensor for detecting respiratory rate, which has a potential application in medical diagnoses. The simple structure and easy portability of the TEMG could be used widely in daily life to harvest ambient energy for electronic devices.