Power management technologies for triboelectric nanogenerators
Sijun Du1, Philippe Basset2, Hengyu Guo3
1Department of Microelectronics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
MRS Bulletin
|March 17, 2025
Summary
Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) convert mechanical energy to electricity but face challenges in power extraction. This study reviews TENG energy harvesting, focusing on power conversion strategies to improve output and overcome limitations.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Energy Harvesting
Background:
- Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offer high energy density and flexibility for self-powering applications.
- TENGs harvest mechanical energy from the environment for use in biomedical devices, wearables, and IoT sensors.
- Challenges in TENGs include efficient electrical energy extraction due to their time-varying nature and low capacitance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and compare current advancements in TENG energy-harvesting systems.
- To emphasize strategies for enhancing TENG output power through various power-conversion techniques.
- To explore techniques from other energy-harvesting systems to inspire innovative TENG designs.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review and synthesis of existing TENG energy-harvesting systems.
- Comparative analysis of different power-conversion strategies applied to TENGs.
- Exploration of cross-disciplinary techniques from other energy-harvesting fields.
Main Results:
- Identified key power-conversion techniques crucial for improving TENG output.
- Highlighted limitations in current research on integrated power-management for TENGs.
- Presented a comparative overview of strategies to enhance TENG energy harvesting.
Conclusions:
- Effective power management is essential for realizing the full potential of TENGs.
- Further research into dedicated integrated power-conversion methods is critically needed.
- Cross-disciplinary inspiration can drive innovation in TENG system design for broader applications.
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