EPSRC-SFI: Next Generation Energy Autonomous Textile Fabrics based on Triboelectric Nanogenerators (NextGenT-TENG)

近年来，可穿戴电子设备和传感器（如健身监测器、智能手表、心电图（ECG）传感器等）的使用激增。过去十年，可穿戴系统的性能取得了重大进展；然而，性能的提高不可避免地导致电子设备的小型化，这意味着未来会有更多的传感器和更高的功率需求。目前，迫切需要提供足够和自主的清洁能源，以避免依赖笨重且不环保的电池组。纺织摩擦电纳米发电机（T-TENG）提供了一个解决方案。摩擦电纳米发电机（TENGs）利用两个适当选择的表面的循环接触将机械能转换为电能。t - teng是一种简单的teng，将摩擦接触材料结合到可穿戴纺织品中，能够将人体运动（如日常行走和手臂运动）中的能量转换为电能。目前;然而，T-TENG的性能明显落后于传统的散装teng，不足以为大多数电子纺织系统提供动力。该项目将开发下一代高性能纺织摩擦电纳米发电机，能够满足当前和未来可穿戴系统的能源需求。它还将开发技术，将T-TENG整合到完全集成的能源自主织物中。我们将通过以下方法实现T-TENG性能的阶梯式变化。首先，这个问题是多学科的，这在以前阻碍了全面的发展。因此，该项目结合了电子工程、摩擦学、材料化学和纺织技术等领域，创造了理解设备性能所有关键方面所需的能力。接下来，认识到设备设计需要严格的科学基础，我们将对纺织品摩擦接触的潜在物理原理有一个基本的了解。这将最终形成一个预测模型，用于计算T-TENG的力学和静电性能。我们知道，输出与界面处可以产生的摩擦变化密度有很大关系。在这里，我们认为最大限度地提高选择亲和力（即摩擦材料之间）和接触面积的差异将是至关重要的。因此，我们将优化材料、纤维结构和纺织品的表面形貌，以最大限度地提高这两个关键参数。在界面材料上，我们将实现使用电子亲和差最大的材料对。这将采取金属氧化物涂层纤维与传统纺织纤维如聚酯和聚丙烯接触的形式。在光纤架构上，我们将使用我们的预测T-TENG模型来设计一个最大接触面积的光纤架构。在表面形貌方面，我们将率先使用分枝纳米细丝或纳米柱来进一步扩大接触面积。为了在纺织织物上实现这些涂层和表面特征，该项目将开发一些新的加工技术。然后，所有这些方面将统一在一个设备设计中，并将进一步修改和完善。然后，优化后的T-TENG将与基于纺织品的传感器系统完全集成，形成一种完全能量自主的织物。最后，将建立一个技术演示器，向学术界和工业界演示输出性能。我们将与我们的工业合作伙伴Kyrima & Pireta密切合作，他们在开发电子纺织品行业的新技术方面都有丰富的经验。一个成功的结果将意味着医疗和娱乐领域的大量可穿戴系统可以使用一种清洁和免费的能源：简单的日常人体运动。

In recent years there has been a major surge in the use of wearable electronic devices & sensors (such as fitness monitors, smart watches, electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors etc.). The last decade has led to major advances in the capability of wearable systems; however, performance enhancement inevitably leads to miniaturisation of electronics meaning more sensors and increased power requirements going forward. At present, there is an urgent need to provide a sufficient and autonomous source of clean power to avoid dependence on cumbersome & environmentally unfriendly battery packs. The textile triboelectric nano generator (T-TENG) offers a solution. Triboelectric nano generators (TENGs) use the cyclic contact of two suitably chosen surfaces to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy. T-TENGs are simply TENGs where the tribo-contact materials are incorporated into wearable textiles capable of converting energy in human motions such as daily walking & arm movements into electricity. At present; however, T-TENG performance lags significantly behind that of conventional bulk TENGs and is insufficient to power most e-textile systems.This project will develop a next generation of high performance textile triboelectric nano generator capable of meeting the current and future energy requirements of wearable systems. It will also develop technology to incorporate the T-TENG in fully integrated energy autonomous fabrics. We will achieve this step-change in T-TENG performance via the following approach. First, the problem is intensely multidisciplinary and this has previously hampered development of a full picture. Therefore, this project unties the fields of electronic engineering, tribology, materials chemistry, and textiles technology to create the capability required to understand all key aspects of device performance. Next, recognising the need for a rigorous scientific foundation for device design, we will develop a fundamental understanding of the underlying physics of the tribo-contact of textiles. This will culminate in a predictive model for device performance accounting for both the mechanics and electrostatics of the T-TENG. We know that output is hugely linked to the amount of tribo-change density that can be developed at the interface. Here, we contend that maximising difference in election affinity (i.e. between the tribo-materials) and contact area will be critical. Therefore, we will optimise the materials, fibre architecture and surface topography of the textiles to maximise these two key parameters. On interface materials, we will implement the use of material pairs with maximum difference in electron affinity. This will take the form of metal oxide coated fibres in contact with conventional textile fibres such as polyester and polypropylene. On fibre architecture, we will use our predictive T-TENG model to design a fibre architecture that maximises contact area. On surface topography, we will pioneer the use of branching nano filaments or nano pillars to further enhance contact area. To implement these coatings and surface features on textile fabrics, the project will develop a number of novel processing techniques. All of these aspects will then be united in a single device design which will be further modified and refined. The optimised T-TENG will then be fully integrated with a textile based sensor system to form a fully energy autonomous fabric. Finally, a technology demonstrator will be built to demonstrate output performance to both academia & industry. We will work closely with our industrial partners Kyrima & Pireta who are both highly experienced in developing new technologies for the e-textiles industry. A successful outcome would mean that a host of wearable systems in the medical and entertainment sectors could be powered using a clean and free source of energy: that of simple everyday human motion.