Distributed mobile ultraviolet light sources driven by ambient mechanical stimuli.

Abstract Due to the natural characteristics of high voltage output, Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs) have huge advantages in many fields. Here, we have proposed a concept of Mobile ultraviolet light sources (Mobile-UV) driven by TENG, without any additional circuits. For this system, analysis of electric characteristics, optical emission spectra, and COMSOL simulation were carried out to promote the performance. Subsequently, we have developed exploratory applications in the fields of bio-sterilization, chemical detection, and UV-curing, which proved the versatility and effectiveness. This work offers a promising, portable, effective, and safe supplement to traditional ultraviolet light sources, and will enrich the diversity of the ultraviolet application based on the reach of existing technologies.