Polyethyleneimine (PEI)-treated multifunctional textile triboelectric nanogenerator: A scalable and cost-effective solution for self-powered electronics, energy harvesting and physiological movement monitoring
Satyaranjan Bairagi, Sourav Banerjee, Chirantan Shee, Akshaya Kumar Aliyana, Rudra Mukherjee, Charchit Kumar, George K. Stylios, S. Wazed Ali, Daniel M. Mulvihill
Abstract
Cotton, due to its abundance, low cost, and extensive use in textile manufacturing, is a promising material for textile triboelectric nanogenerators (T-TENGs); however, its position in the neutral region of the triboelectric series results in lower triboelectric performance. This study addressed this limitation by treating cotton with polyethyleneimine (PEI) via scalable pad-dry method. The PEI treatment enhanced tribo-positivity and provided its additional benefits, like antibacterial (83.33 %) and antioxidant (74.2 %) properties. In this work, we explored PEI-treated cotton fabric for T-TENG devices aimed at energy harvesting , self-powered electronics, and physiological movement monitoring. The 10 % PEI-treated cotton T-TENG demonstrated a significant increase in electrical performance, with increments in output voltage and current by 3.4-fold (from ∼30 V to ∼103 V) and 3.27-fold (from ∼3.36 µA to ∼11 µA), respectively, under a contact pressure of 16 N (25.6 kPa) and a frequency of 8 Hz. Additionally, the device achieved a maximum power density of ∼1600 mW/m² at 10 MΩ resistance. The device's practical applications were demonstrated through its ability to charge capacitors of various capacitance values, power a series of more than 70 LEDs and operate off-the-shelf electronics like wristwatch, digital timer, and humidity sensor . Additionally, the T-TENG functioned as a pressure sensor, in monitoring joint movements when attached to body joints (e.g., wrist, elbow, shoulder, knee), offering applications in athlete motion tracking. This study provided a new pathway for developing flexible, cost-effective, and biocompatible T-TENGs, advancing their potential for energy harvesting and self-powered sensing in wearable technologies .