Single Electrode Triboelectric Generator

• US 20140300248A1
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Wang, Zhong Lin, Zhu, Guang, Yang, Ya, Zhang, Hulin
• Granted Patent: US 9,812,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 9/0072 using variations in capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 1/04 Friction generators

Abstract

A triboelectric generator includes a first contact charging member, a second contact charging member and an electrical load. The first contact charging member has a contact side and an opposite back side. The first contact charging member includes a material that has a first rating on a triboelectric series and also has a conductive aspect. The second contact charging member has a second rating on the triboelectric series, different from the first rating, and is configured to come into contact with the first contact layer and go out of contact with the first contact layer. The electrical load electrically is coupled to the first contact charging member and to a common voltage so that current will flow through the load after the second contact charging member comes into contact with the first contact charging member and then goes out of contact with the first contact charging member.

Claims

1. A triboelectric generator, comprising:

(a) a first contact charging member having a contact side and an opposite back side, including a material that has a first rating on a triboelectric series, the first contact charging member also having a conductive aspect;

(b) a second contact charging member that has a second rating on the triboelectric series, different from the first rating, and configured to come into contact with the first contact layer and go out of contact with the first contact layer; and

(c) an electrical load electrically coupled to the first contact charging member and to a common voltage so that current will flow through the load after the second contact charging member comes into contact with the first contact charging member and then goes out of contact with the first contact charging member.

2. The triboelectric generator of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first contact charging member and the second contact charging member has an outer surface that comprises a nanoscale texture.

3. The triboelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the first contact charging member comprises a conducting material layer and wherein the second contact charging member comprises a dielectric material.

4. The triboelectric generator of claim 3, wherein the metal comprises aluminum and the dielectric material comprises a material selected from a group consisting of:

PDMS, PTFE, FEP, PVC, Polyimide and combinations thereof.

5. The triboelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the second contact charging member is configured to slide laterally with respect to the first contact charging member.

6. The triboelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the first contact charging member comprises:

(a) a conductive electrode layer coupled to the electrical load; and

(b) a first triboelectric material layer disposed on the conductive electrode layer.

7. The triboelectric generator of claim 6, wherein the first triboelectric material layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of:

PDMS, PTFE, FEP, PVC, Polyimide and combinations thereof.

8. The triboelectric generator of claim 6, wherein the conductive electrode layer comprises ITO.

9. The triboelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the second contact charging member comprises human skin.

10. The triboelectric generator of claim 1, wherein the first contact charging member comprises a planar dielectric core structure and a conductive layer enveloping at least a portion of the planar dielectric core structure, the load electrically coupled to the conductive layer wherein the conductive layer includes a first triboelectric material that has the first rating on the triboelectric series;

and wherein the second contact charging member comprises a flexible substrate layer and a second triboelectric material layer disposed on the flexible substrate layer, the second triboelectric material layer having the second rating, the flexible substrate layer wrapped about a portion of the first contact charging member and having an at rest state in which the second triboelectric material layer is substantially not in contact with the conductive layer, the flexible substrate layer also configured to, when an external force is applied thereto, press the second triboelectric material layer to be in contact with the conductive layer and then pull the second triboelectric material layer away from the conductive layer when the external force is no longer applied thereto.

11. The triboelectric generator of claim 10, wherein the planar dielectric core structure comprises acrylic.

12. The triboelectric generator of claim 10, wherein the conductive layer comprises aluminum.

13. The triboelectric generator of claim 10, wherein the flexible substrate layer comprises a polyimide film.

14. The triboelectric generator of claim 10, wherein the second triboelectric material layer comprises a polyamide film.

15. The triboelectric generator of claim 10, wherein the flexible substrate layer and the second triboelectric material layer have a horseshoe shape when in the at rest state.

16. A sensor system for sensing contact with a material that has a first rating on a triboelectric series, comprising:

(a) a planar substrate; and

(b) an array of triboelectric sensor units disposed on the planar substrate.

17. The sensor system of claim 16, wherein each of the triboelectric sensor units comprises:

(a) a conductive electrode layer coupled to the electrical load;

(b) a triboelectric material layer disposed on the conductive electrode layer, the triboelectric material layer including a material that has a second rating on the triboelectric series; and

(c) a load electrically coupled to the conductive electrode layer and to a ground that is configured to change state when a current flows therethrough.

18. The sensor system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first contact charging member and the second contact charging member has an outer surface that comprises a nanoscale texture.

19. The sensor system of claim 17, wherein the first triboelectric material layer comprises a material selected from a group consisting of:

PDMS and wherein the conductive electrode layer comprises ITO.

20. The sensor system of claim 17, wherein the second contact charging member comprises human skin.