NdFeB-based magnetic triboelectric nanogenerator for enhanced bioenergy harvesting and tactile perception

High performance and versatility may be the key for the development of flexible electronic skins that are based on triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), and multifunctional components at the triboelectric interface is essential for empowering these devices to mimic or even surpass the sensing properties of human skin, and enabling their response to both environmental and intrinsic conditions. In this context, we present an efficient, low-cost strategy for constructing magnetically responsive TENGs by introducing NdFeB powders into a polydimethylsiloxane film. Besides superior stability, resiliency, and flexibility, the as-designed TENG presents an enhanced output of open circuit voltage of 150 V, short circuit current of 16.7 mA/m2, and Qsc of 35 nC, which is almost 3.5 times of the pristine one. Interestingly, the output performance of MR-TENG shows dependence on both the concentration of NdFeB and the direction and intensity of magnetization. Such a correlation in turn provides the linear relationship of the output with the magnetic field (-80 V/T) and the applied dynamic force (-0.64 V/N), which helps seamlessly integrating energy harvesting with tactile sensing for self-powered human activity monitoring and other intelligent sensing applications.