Towards Truly Wearable Systems: Optimizing and Scaling Up Wearable Triboelectric Nanogenerators
K. R. Sanjaya D. Gunawardhana, Nandula D. Wanasekara, R.D.I.G. Dharmasena
Abstract
Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is an upcoming technology to harvest energy from ambient movements. A major focus herein is harvesting energy from human movements through wearable TENGs, which are constructed by integrating nanogenerators into clothing or accessories. Textile-based TENGs, which include fiber, yarn, and fabric-based TENG structures, account for the majority of wearable TENGs, with many designs and applications demonstrated recently. This calls for a comprehensive analysis of textile-based TENG technology, and how the state-of-the-art device optimization concepts can be deployed to construct them efficiently. Concurrently, how advanced engineering concepts and industrial manufacturing techniques, which are bound with fiber, yarn, and fabric-related developments, can be applied into the TENG context for their output enhancement is still under investigation. Herein, we fill this vital gap by analyzing the state-of-the-art developments, upcoming trends, output optimization strategies, scalability, and prospects of the textile-based TENG technology, presenting a textile engineering perspective.