Hybridized Nanogenerators for Harvesting Vibrational Energy by Triboelectric-Piezoelectric-Electromagnetic Effects

Harvesting and utilizing the wasted ambient environmental energy can be a feasible solution for continuous operation of distributed sensors that require sustainable power sources. Vibrational mechanical energy is the most ubiquitous energy source in the environment. Therefore, it is important to develop a method to efficiently collect vibrational energy. Here, a hybridized nanogenerator based on triboelectric-piezoelectric-electromagnetic effects for the highly efficient conversion of vibrational mechanical energy into electricity is reported. Integrating with transformers and rectifiers, the hybridized nanogenerator can deliver a power density up to 100 W m(-3). Through a power management circuit integrated into the hybridized nanogenerator, a continuous direct current (DC) output is achieved, providing sufficient DC power for driving a radio-frequency wireless tire-pressure monitoring system and other conventional electronics. This work takes a significant step toward ubiquitous vibrational energy harvesting and its potential applications in self-powered wireless sensor networks.