Self-Powered Humidity Sensor Driven by Triboelectric Nanogenerator Composed of Bio-Wasted Peanut Skin Powder

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Increasing Internet of Things (IoT) devices contribute to electronic waste.
• Existing self-powered sensors often utilize toxic materials, posing environmental and health risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sustainable, self-powered humidity sensor using biocompatible peanut skin.
• To integrate a peanut-skin-based triboelectric nanogenerator (PSP-TENG) as a power source for the sensor.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a peanut-skin-based triboelectric nanogenerator (PSP-TENG).
• Electrical characterization of the PSP-TENG to assess its power generation capabilities.
• Integration of PSP-TENG with a peanut skin-based humidity sensor (PSP-SPHS) to create a self-powered system.
• Evaluation of the PSP-SPHS performance, including sensitivity, response time, and stability.

Main Results:

• The PSP-TENG demonstrated significant electrical output: 162 V open circuit voltage, 0.2 µA short circuit current, and 2.2 mW instantaneous power at 20 MΩ.
• The PSP-SPHS functioned as a humidity-dependent resistor, showing decreased resistance and voltage with increased relative humidity.
• The sensor achieved high sensitivity (0.8 V/RH%), rapid response/recovery times (4/10 s), and excellent stability and repeatability.

Conclusions:

• Peanut skin is a viable, eco-friendly, and affordable material for self-powered sensor applications.
• The developed peanut skin-based self-powered humidity sensor (PSP-SPHS) shows strong potential for sustainable environmental monitoring.
• This technology offers a promising alternative to conventional, potentially toxic, self-powered sensors.