Shape adaptable and highly resilient 3D braided triboelectric nanogenerators as e-textiles for power and sensing

TLDR

Combining textiles with triboelectric nanogenerators creates self‑powered e‑textiles, but low power output and poor sensing remain major bottlenecks. The study designs a 3DB‑structured TENG‑based e‑textile that is highly flexible, shape‑adaptable, wash‑resistant, and mechanically robust, aiming to provide a new design concept for high‑performance textile TENGs and broaden their use in human‑machine interfacing. The 3DB‑structured TENG uses a spatial frame‑column design between outer braided yarn and inner axial yarn, giving it high compression resilience, enhanced power output, improved pressure sensitivity, and vibrational energy harvesting capability. The device achieves high power output and pressure sensitivity, enabling it to power miniature wearable electronics and was validated in an intelligent shoe and an identity‑recognition carpet.

Abstract

Abstract Combining traditional textiles with triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) gives birth to self-powered electronic textiles (e-textiles). However, there are two bottlenecks in their widespread application, low power output and poor sensing capability. Herein, by means of the three-dimensional five-directional braided (3DB) structure, a TENG-based e-textile with the features of high flexibility, shape adaptability, structural integrity, cyclic washability, and superior mechanical stability, is designed for power and sensing. Due to the spatial frame-column structure formed between the outer braided yarn and inner axial yarn, the 3DB-TENG is also endowed with high compression resilience, enhanced power output, improved pressure sensitivity, and vibrational energy harvesting ability, which can power miniature wearable electronics and respond to tiny weight variations. Furthermore, an intelligent shoe and an identity recognition carpet are demonstrated to verify its performance. This study hopes to provide a new design concept for high-performance textile-based TENGs and expand their application scope in human-machine interfacing.