Cost-effective, bio-compatible nanogenerators for harvesting electricity from vibrations

Scientists from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences, Bengaluru, have fabricated a simple, cost-effective, bio-compatible, transparent nanogenerator
It can generate electricity from vibrations all around for use in optoelectronics, self-powered devices, and other biomedical applications
The triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) make use of mechanical energy in the form of vibrations present everywhere in different forms to generate electricity
Scientists have designed a transparent TENG, using thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) along with Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as tribo layers.

Working Mechanism

The energy harvesting TENG works on the principle of creation of electrostatic charges via instantaneous physical contact of two dissimilar materials followed by generation of potential difference when a mismatch is introduced between the two contacted surfaces through a mechanical force.
This mechanism drives the electrons to move back and forth between the conducting films coated on the back of the tribo layers.