Improved Output Voltage of a Nanogenerator with 3D Fabric

Electrically enhanced triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) using 3D fabrics and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are suggested for next-generation wearable electronics. TENGs with fabric-fabric- fabric (FFF) and PDMS-fabric-PDMS (PFP) structures were fabricated with ordinary 2D fabrics and honeycomb-like 3D fabrics. A 3D fabric TENG with an FFF structure showed an output voltage of 7 V, 7 times higher than a 2D fabric FFF structured TENG. Interestingly, an extremely high output voltage of 240 V was achieved by a 3D fabric PFP structured TENG. This was attributed to the high surface frictional triboelectric effect between fabric and PDMS and also marginal 3D structure in the 3D fabric active layer.