Transparent paper-based triboelectric nanogenerator as a page mark and anti-theft sensor

The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), based on the well-known triboelectric effect and electrostatic induction effect, has been proven to be a simple, cost effective approach for self-powered systems to convert ambient mechanical energy into electricity. We report a flexible and transparent paper-based triboelectric nanogenerator (PTENG) consisting of an indium tin oxide (ITO) film and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film as the triboelectric surfaces, which not only acts as an energy supply but also as a self-powered active sensor. It can harvest kinetic energy when the sheets of paper come into contact, bend or slide relative to one another by a combination of vertical contact-separation mode and lateral sliding mode. In addition, we also integrate grating-structured PTENGs into a book as a self-powered anti-theft sensor. The mechanical agitation during handling the book pages can be effectively converted into an electrical output to either drive a commercial electronic device or trigger a warning buzzer. Furthermore, different grating-structures on each page produce different numbers of output peaks by sliding relative to one another, which can accurately act as a page mark and record the number of pages turned. This work is a significant step forward in self-powered paper-based devices.