A Wireless Triboelectric Nanogenerator

A new wireless paradigm for harvesting mechanical energy via a 3D-printed wireless triboelectric nanogenerator (W-TENG) comprised of an ecofriendly graphene polylactic acid (gPLA) nanocomposite and Teflon is demonstrated. The W-TENG generates very high output voltages >2 kV with a strong electric field that enables the wireless transmission of harvested energy over a distance of 3 m. The W-TENG exhibited an instantaneous peak power up to 70 mW that could be wirelessly transmitted for storage into a capacitor obviating the need for hard-wiring or additional circuitry. Furthermore, the use of W-TENG for wireless and secure actuation of smart-home applications such as smart tint windows, temperature sensors, liquid crystal displays, and security alarms either with a single or a specific user-defined passcode of mechanical pulses (e.g., Fibonacci sequence) is demonstrated. The scalable additive manufacturing approach for gPLA-based W-TENGs, along with their high electrical output and unprecedented wireless applications, is poised for revolutionizing the present mechanical energy harvesting technologies.