Design of biodegradable wheat-straw based triboelectric nanogenerator as self-powered sensor for wind detection

Abstract With the development of Internet of things and sensor network, exploring distributed energy is important for their sustainable operation. Finding the best devices and suitable materials that can convert random mechanical energy into electric power has become a hot research topic. In this work, wheat straw, a biodegradable material, was utilized to fabricate single-electrode mode triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). Herein, the wheat straw TENG (WS-TENG) was applied to convert mechanical energy with low frequency and small amplitude into electrical energy. The maximum output power density of WS-TENG is 404 mW / m2, and more than 60 LEDs can be lit up. Moreover, the WS-TENG can not only charge capacitors but also power hygrometers, electronic watch and some other low-power portable electronic devices. Furthermore, the WS-TENG was designed as windmill and bionic lawn, which can be used as wind velocity sensor for detection of wind speed and wind direction. Because the WS-TENG is degradable, low-cost and portable, this work provides a novel solution for the advanced science technology to be applied in agricultural production and self-powered sensor for energy harvesting and energy application.