Self-Powered Electronic Skin Based On Triboelectrification-Sensing Coupling Effect

Electronic skin is a concept that a thin electronic material can mimic human skin with specific functions and realize multiple perceptions,which has potential application in robotics,bionics and healthcare.With the development of electronic skin,adaptive,multi-modal,self-sustainable and other promising characteristics have become essential for new electronic skins.Wang group developed a triboelectric nanogenerator by coupling triboelectrification and electrostatic induction for converting low-quality mechanical energy into electricity,giving rise to a new way to realize sustainable power supply for electronic skin.In this thesis,triboelectric/sensing coupling effect is proposed by introducing sensing effect into triboelectrification process.Based on this mechanism,The construction of self-powered electronic skin based on triboelectric sensing coupling effect eliminates restrict of power supply,and the brain-electric interface is directly established by using output electrical signal as brain stimulations.The main content in this thesis is shown as follows:(1)A flexible free-standing smelling electronic skin has been realized based on triboelectrification/gas-sensing coupling effect by PANI working as sensing materials?frictional material and electrode.The gasflow driven electronic skin has exellent sensing properties without power source.Against 210 ppm ethanol,the response is 66.8%with response time of 20 s and recovery time of 25 s.The response keeps constant under different gasflow rate,electrode distance and bending angle.In addition,a self-powered breath alcohol detector is realized by integrating a self-powered electronic skin and a visual board.(2)A self-powered fabric electronic skin has been fabricated by weaving several bundles of carbon fibers coated with PDMS or Ppy,forming a flexible and stretchable structure.The electronic skin can actively detect human motion and environmental atmosphere.The electronic skin can actively detect various strain deformations as the outputting triboelectric current is proportional to pressure force,bending angle and stretch deformations.A device attached on the hand back as sensing arrays can monitor finger movement.The e-skin can also monitor methanol concentration in the atmosphere with high sensitivity,recoverability and selectivity.The device maintains constant sensing performance as driven by clenching/releasing fist.(3)A self-powered multi-perception electronic skin within sensing arrays has been presented through photolithography,wet-etching,flexible substrate fabrication,electrochemical polymerization,e-beam evaporation technologies.The electronic skin can mimic tactility,audition,olfaction,gustation and vision by detecting mechanical deformation,sonic wave,volatile organic gas,solution pH and light illumination.The sensor unit arrays can output triboelecric signals for mimicking nervous impulse,and transmit the code signals to brain.The device is connected to mouse brain at S1BF,involving in mouse perception and driving mouse behavioral responses.