3D-printed textile-triboelectric nanogenerators (T-TENGs) for wearable energy harvesting applications. Aswathy Babu 1,2 , Connell Boal 1,2 ,Irthasa Aazem 1,2 , Ryan Walden 1,2 ,Ailish Breen 1,2 , Suresh C. Pillai 1,2 1 Nanotechnology and Bio-Engineering Research Group, Department of Environmental Science, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Ireland, 2 Health and Biomedical (HEAL) Strategic Research Centre, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91 YW50, Ireland Textile-based triboelectric nanogenerators (T-TENGs) have emerged as a promising technology for harvesting energy from the mechanical movement of clothing and other fabrics. In this study, we report on the development of a novel approach for integrating triboelectric polymers onto fabrics through direct 3D-printing for T-TENG based energy harvesting applications. One major challenge in fabricating TENG-based wearable devices is to integrate electronic components onto flexible and stretchable textile substrates, which often require additional processing steps such as surface treatment or adhesive bonding, which can affect the mechanical and electrical properties of the fabric. In this context, 3D printing has emerged as a promising technology for fabricating functional textiles with embedded electronics. 3D printing allows for the direct deposition of materials onto a substrate in a layer-by- layer manner, which offers great flexibility in designing complex geometries and patterns. However, 3D printing onto fabrics poses several challenges due to the heterogeneity and anisotropy of the fabric structure. The present study investigates the feasibility of using a commercial 3D printer with fused deposition modelling (FDM) approach to directly deposit triboelectric polymer filaments with different electron affinities (TPU, polypropylene and PET-G) onto various types of fabrics including cotton, polyester, and nylon. The printed TENG structures were characterized for their surface morphology (FE-SEM), surface roughness, electrical and mechanical properties, and their performance as TENGs was evaluated under various mechanical stimuli, including bending and rubbing. The results showed that the printed polymers onto fabrics exhibited appreciable electrical output and excellent mechanical durability, with the ability to generate an open circuit voltage of 8.7 V, suggesting thatthis technique could be used to fabricate TENG-based wearable energy harvesting devices. Moreover, the results indicate that the printed polymers have good adhesion to the fabric surface without the need of any adhesives and can withstand bending and stretching without delaminating. Overall, the present study demonstrates a novel approach for the direct integration of polymer-based TENGs onto fabrics using 3D-printing technology. This study provides a new avenue for designing and manufacturing functional textile-based energy harvesting devices with high performance and durability, which could have a significant impact on the development of self-powered wearable electronics and smart textiles.
References 1. Mahmud, M. A. P., Zolfagharian, A., Gharaie, S., Kaynak, A., Farjana, S. H., Ellis, A. V, Chen, J., & Kouzani, A. Z. (2021). 2. 3D-Printed Triboelectric Nanogenerators: State of the Art, Applications, and Challenges. Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research , 2 (3), 2000045. 3. Tong, Y., Feng, Z., Kim, J., Robertson, J. L., Jia, X., & Johnson, B. N. (2020). 4. 3D printed stretchable triboelectric nanogenerator fibers and devices. Nano Energy , 75 , 104973.
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