Flexible Piezoelectric and Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Energy Harvesting and Sensing
This community develops flexible polymer-based materials that convert mechanical motion into electrical energy and use that energy to power sensors for health monitoring and structural analysis.
The work centers on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and its composites, which serve as the primary piezoelectric and dielectric media. Researchers fabricate these materials into nanocomposite films, hydrogels, and nanofibers to create triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators. These devices are designed to harvest energy from vibrations, human movement, or environmental sources like ocean waves. The generated power is often used to drive self-powered sensors for wearable health monitoring, such as tracking sleep patterns or detecting biomarkers, and for structural health monitoring in aerospace and civil engineering. The materials are engineered for flexibility, high energy density, and enhanced dielectric properties to ensure reliable performance in dynamic environments.
The community is most heavily represented in research tracked for Fluorine, accounting for 6.4% of all Fluorine-related papers, and Barium, where it constitutes 2.7% of the element's research output. It also holds a significant share of Zirconium research, at 2.4%.
The group comprises 34,416 papers, published primarily in Nano Energy, Smart Materials and Structures, and ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Recent work continues to focus on advanced composite formulations, such as PVDF-HFP and MXene hybrids, for improved mechanical energy scavenging and sleep pattern detection, as well as machine-learning-assisted design of high-temperature polymer capacitors and self-powered wearable sensors for medical diagnostics.