Tumbler-shaped hybrid triboelectric nanogenerators for amphibious self-powered environmental monitoring

Self-powered sensor networks are an emerging technology with great potential applications in Internet of Things (IoTs). However, simultaneously harvesting various coexist energy from environment has always been a challenge to develop self-powered sensor networks. In this work, a tumbler-shaped hybrid triboelectric nano generator (TH-TENG) is elaborately designed to simultaneously harvest wind and water wave energy on land or ocean. The TH-TENG is composed of an external single-electrode liquid TENG and an internal rolling-ball TENG. The balance-reverting tumbler structure contributes to harvest energy from arbitrary directions and extra swings. Amphibious self-powered environmental monitoring including the wind speed, wave height and wave frequency can be detected by the TH-TENG directly. Meanwhile, the TH-TENGs can also be integrated in parallel to power a commercial environmental monitor. The detection of small vibration is achieved by connecting the TH-TENG with a single chip microcomputer. The TH-TENG demonstrates an effective and novel strategy to harvest coexist energy simultaneously in the amphibious environment and develop wireless sensor networks in the IoTs.