Modeling and simulation of triboelectric nanogenerator for energy harvesting using COMSOL Multiphysics® and optimization on thickness of flexible polymer

The project involves the simulation of an organic/polymer-based Tribo-Electric Nano Generator (TENG), to generate electricity from the vast mechanical energy wasted in the form of friction from human footfalls. The energy conversion in the device is achieved by the triboelectric effect, which is the electrostatic effect where, the interaction between 2 materials that vary in degree of polarity of triboelectricity, generates electricity. The complexity in process and need of multiple fabrication technologies, wide range of characterization, cost and time involved in actual experimental process in working with new materials or with multi material systems and the possibility of understanding is invariably reduced using the process of simulation. The structures simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics (R) 5.3, consists of PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane), gold, and gold nano-particles on PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate), with gold replaced by aluminum and with copper for experimentation, with PDMS polymer thickness optimized to 10 mu m, generating maximum voltage in the order of 10(3) Volts. The expected power generated by this vertical contact mode generator with gold-coated electrodes is 15mW. Copyright (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The project involves the simulation of an organic/polymer-based Tribo-Electric Nano Generator (TENG) to generate electricity from friction. The device utilizes the triboelectric effect to convert mechanical energy into electricity. Simulation is used instead of experimentation due to the complexity, cost, and time involved in working with new or multiple materials. The optimized structure consists of PDMS, gold, and gold nano-particles on PMMA, generating a maximum voltage of 10(3) Volts. The expected power generated by the generator is 15mW.