Self-Powered Non-Contact Triboelectric Rotation Sensor with Interdigitated Film

Rotation detection is widely applied in industries. The current commonly used rotation detection system adopts a split structure, which requires stringent installation requirements and is difficult to miniaturize. This paper proposes a single-piece self-powered non-contact sensor with an interdigital sensitive layer to detect the rotation of objects. The electric field generated between a polyurethane (PU) film and a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film is utilized for perceiving the rotation. The surface of the PU film is subjected to wet etching with sulfuric acid to increase the surface area and charge density. Through finite element analysis and experimental testing, the effects of the areas of the sensitive films as well as the horizontal and vertical distances between them on the output voltage are analyzed. Tests are performed on adjustable-speed motors, human arms, and robotic arms. The results show that the sensor can detect the speed, the transient process of rotation, and the swing angle. The proposed rotation sensor has broad application prospects in the fields of mechanical automation, robotics, and Internet of Things (IoT).