Recent progress of flexible/wearable self-charging power units based on triboelectric nanogenerators

The last several decades have witnessed the tremendous achievement of energy storage devices such as batteries and supercapacitors in the field of charging portable electronic devices. However, the frequent charging requirement and inconvenient device replacement greatly restrict the further practical application of energy storage devices in self-powered systems for human life. Great efforts have been devoted to integrating TENG with energy storage devices to provide the sustainable power supply for electronic devices. In this review article, the recent progress of flexible TENG-based self-charging power units (SCPUs) was presented. Firstly, the working modes and triboelectric series of TENG were introduced. Next, the working principle, research progress of flexible/wearable SCPUs, and strategies to improve energy conversion efficiency were also demonstrated. Finally, the main challenges that need to be overcome when designing and optimizing TENG-based SCPUs were also highlighted.

Automated summary

This review article presents the recent progress of flexible TENG-based self-charging power units (SCPUs), including working modes, research progress, strategies to improve energy conversion efficiency, as well as highlighting the main challenges that need to be overcome when designing and optimizing TENG-based SCPUs.