Self‐Powered Electrostatic Actuation Systems for Manipulating the Movement of both Microfluid and Solid Objects by Using Triboelectric Nanogenerator

• Published in: Advanced functional materials 2017-04, Vol.27 (16), p.np-n/a
• Main Authors: Zheng, Li, Wu, Yali, Chen, Xiangyu, Yu, Aifang, Xu, Liang, Liu, Yongsheng, Li, Hexing, Wang, Zhong Lin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actuation; Coulomb friction; Devices; Droplets; Electric power generation; electrostatic actuation; Electrostatics; Kapton (trademark); Liquids; Materials science; microfluids; Movement; Nanogenerators; Nanostructure; Pellets; Polarity; Polyimide resins; super‐hydrophobicity; triboelectric nanogenerators
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201606408

By integrating a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and an electrostatic actuation system (EAS), two kinds of self‐powered EAS are designed for manipulating the movement of both microfluid and tiny solid objects. The mechanical triggering of the TENG can generate an extremely high electrostatic field inside EAS and thus the tiny object (liquid or solid) in the EAS can be actuated by the Coulomb force. Accordingly, the tribomotion of TENG can be used as both the driving power and control signal for the EAS. The TENG device with a contact surface of 70 cm2 can drive a water droplet to move across a gap of 2 cm. Meanwhile, the confluence of two droplets with the same charge polarity and different components can also be induced and controlled by this self‐powered EAS. In addition, based on the same working principle, this EAS also demonstrates its capability for manipulating solid object (e.g., a tiny steel pellet). By sliding the Kapton film along a segmented annular electrode, the tiny pellet can well follow the rotated motion of the Kapton film. The demonstrated concept of this self‐powered EAS has excellent applicability for various micro/miniature actuation devices, electromechanical systems, human–machine interaction, etc. By integrating a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and an electrostatic actuation system, the authors have demonstrated a concept of self‐powered actuation system and the tiny liquid/solid objects, which cannot be easily activated by common mechanical tools, can possibly be accurately manipulated only by simple manual operations imposed on TENG devices. Here, the motion of TENG can serve as both driving power and regulating signal, and thus no power source or sophisticated control circuits is needed for this system.