Flexible Nanogenerators for Energy Harvesting and Self‐Powered Electronics

TLDR

Flexible nanogenerators convert mechanical energy into electricity, offering a promising power source for low‑power personal electronics and self‑powered sensors, and their flexibility and stretchability enable applications in wearable, flexible, and organic optoelectronic devices. This review surveys advances in flexible piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators, highlighting key technologies and outlining future perspectives and challenges. The authors classify flexible PENGs by material (ZnO nanowires, PZT, PVDF, 2D and composite materials) and discuss TENG designs, performance determinants, fabrication, integration, and recent hybrid nanogenerator developments.

Abstract

Flexible nanogenerators that efficiently convert mechanical energy into electrical energy have been extensively studied because of their great potential for driving low‐power personal electronics and self‐powered sensors. Integration of flexibility and stretchability to nanogenerator has important research significance that enables applications in flexible/stretchable electronics, organic optoelectronics, and wearable electronics. Progress in nanogenerators for mechanical energy harvesting is reviewed, mainly including two key technologies: flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) and flexible triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). By means of material classification, various approaches of PENGs based on ZnO nanowires, lead zirconate titanate (PZT), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), 2D materials, and composite materials are introduced. For flexible TENG, its structural designs and factors determining its output performance are discussed, as well as its integration, fabrication and applications. The latest representative achievements regarding the hybrid nanogenerator are also summarized. Finally, some perspectives and challenges in this field are discussed.