Modular design and fully packed triboelectric nanogenerator based on escapement mechanism for harvesting high entropy energy in harsh environments

Harvesting high entropy energy (HEE) from the environment is a promising route for powering various smart terminals. Although triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) exhibit an infinitely bright future as an excellent en-ergy conversion technology, continued efforts are needed for the efficient harvesting of HEE, especially in harsh environments. Here, we report a self-powered system composed of modular TENG (M-TENG) and power man-agement circuit (PMC) that efficiently captures HEE in harsh environments, and provides a stable output of 126 s with only stored energy. With the assistance of an optimized gear train, weak HEE can produce greater torque to drive the escapement, while the escapement releases energy evenly to the TENG to produce a stable and continuous electrical output. The influence of a series of structural parameters on the output performance of the M-TENG has been systematically investigated and validated by finite element analysis (FEA). The maximum open-circuit voltage (VOC), short-circuit current (ISC), and transfer charges (QSC) can reach 500 V, 6 mu A, and 125 nC, respectively. Moreover, the quantified stability and environmental adaptability of the M-TENG are validated. This work presents a paradigm for the efficient utilization of HEE in harsh environments and brings new inspiration for developing emergency self-rescue equipment.

Automated summary

This study presents a self-powered system composed of modular triboelectric nanogenerators (M-TENG) and power management circuit (PMC) to efficiently capture high entropy energy (HEE) in harsh environments and provide stable output. By optimizing the gear train, weak HEE can produce greater torque to drive the escapement, which evenly releases energy to the TENG for stable and continuous electrical output. The influence of various structural parameters on the M-TENG's output performance has been systematically investigated and validated using finite element analysis (FEA). The M-TENG demonstrates a maximum open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 500 V, short-circuit current (ISC) of 6 μA, and transfer charges (QSC) of 125 nC. Furthermore, the stability and environmental adaptability of the M-TENG have been quantitatively validated. This work provides a paradigm for efficiently utilizing HEE in harsh environments and inspires the development of emergency self-rescue equipment.