A new Mylar-based triboelectric energy harvester with an innovative design for mechanical energy harvesting applications

• Published in: Energy conversion and management 2021-09, Vol.244, p.114489, Article 114489
• Main Authors: Zargari, Siavash, Daie Koozehkanani, Ziaddin, Veladi, Hadi, Sobhi, Jafar, Rezania, Alireza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Batteries; Capacitors; Charging; Circuit design; Circuits; Energy; Energy harvesting; Internal energy; Kinetic energy; Mylar; Mylar-based TENG; Nanogenerators; Open circuit voltage; Origami TENG; Power management; Power management circuit; Power sources; Rechargeable batteries; Short circuit currents; Short-circuit current; Triboelectric energy harvester; Triboelectric nanogenerator; Voltage
• ISSN: 0196-8904; 1879-2227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2021.114489

•A novel origami design for the TENG was employed for mechanical energy harvesting applications.•For the first time, Mylar film was used as the main substrate material for the TENG device.•The proposed TENG does not require any auxiliary spring structure for continuous operation.•A novel high-voltage generator module was used to increase the charge density in PTFE electrets.•A self-powered and self-controlled power management circuit was designed and implemented. In this paper, an innovative origami structure is deployed to create a novel, flexible, lightweight, and low-cost triboelectric nanogenerator (Miura-Ori-TENG). For the first time, Mylar film is used as a supporting and flexible spring-like structure to develop the first Mylar-based origami TENG, eliminating the need for any external auxiliary system to ensure continuous operation of the TENG. Subsequently, a self-powered power management circuit with a novel self-controlled switching mechanism is designed and implemented for direct use of Miura-Ori-TENG electrical output and maximizing the harvested energy. The performance of the Miura-Ori-TENG and power management circuit are evaluated under different practical conditions. The open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current reached 308.6 V and 55.5 µA, respectively, with a peak power of 5.1 mW under a linear reciprocating motion with an operating frequency of 4 Hz. Moreover, open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and instant output power of 1050 V, 131 µA, and 40 mW are obtained using footsteps during human walking. Furthermore, in a 1000 µF capacitor charging experiment using the proposed power management circuit, the stored energy increased up to 117.5 times compared to a direct charging experiment. In order to prove that the Miura-Ori-TENG, in combination with the proposed power management circuit, could be used as a power source in many applications, its ability to charge the capacitors and rechargeable batteries and drive the electronics is shown with proof-of-concept demonstrations. The results of this study demonstrated potential applications of the Miura-Ori-TENG in converting rotational, vibrational, and impact kinetic energies into electrical energy, as well as the outstanding performance of the proposed power management circuit in managing the harvested energy.