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Robust, Scalable, and Triboelectric-Responsive Superhydrophobic Coating for Versatile Smart City Applications
Mingrui Wang1,2, Ziyi Dai3, Lining Zhang1
1Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering The University of Auckland Auckland 1010 New Zealand.
Small Science
|November 19, 2025
Summary
A novel triboelectric-responsive superhydrophobic coating (TRSC) offers durable, cost-effective smart city sensing. This material effectively harvests energy and detects various activities, even in humid conditions, paving the way for practical urban infrastructure integration.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Smart City Infrastructure
Background:
- Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are crucial for self-powered smart city sensing but are limited by moisture.
- Existing superhydrophobic surfaces lack triboelectric properties and mechanical durability.
Purpose of the Study:
- Develop a cost-effective, durable triboelectric-responsive superhydrophobic coating (TRSC).
- Enhance TENG performance in humid urban environments.
- Enable large-scale manufacturing for smart city applications.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a novel TRSC with cost-effectiveness (
- Testing of superhydrophobicity (contact angle 157°) and durability (500 cycles).
- Evaluation of performance under 99% relative humidity and various adhesion tests.
Main Results:
- TRSC achieves drying within 90s at room temperature.
- Demonstrated stable electrical output and superhydrophobicity after rigorous mechanical tests.
- Successful application in solid-solid contact sensing, interfacial energy harvesting, and noncontact sensing.
Conclusions:
- TRSC provides a robust and scalable solution for moisture-affected TENG applications in smart cities.
- The coating's versatility enables diverse sensing and energy harvesting functionalities.
- Facilitates the transformation of urban infrastructure into intelligent sensing networks.
