An eccentric-structured hybrid triboelectric-electromagnetic nanogenerator for low-frequency mechanical energy harvesting

With the increasing aggravation of the environmental pollution and energy crisis, exploiting clean and renewable energy becomes imperative for human existence and development. In this paper, an eccentric-structured hybrid triboelectric-electromagnetic nanogenerator (EHNG) is proposed to harvest low-frequency mechanical energy. It mainly contains two parts, – a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and an electromagnetic generator (EMG). Exploiting the unique eccentric structure, the EHNG can effectively transfer one-dimensional mechanical motion of an object to the rotation of the eccentric rotor, resulting in electricity generation. In comparison to a separate energy harvesting unit, the hybrid nanogenerator operates beyond the single energy harvesting mode, showing preferable electrical output performances including a broader output range and shorter time of voltage boosting. In terms of energy storage, the EHNG provides not only a higher saturation charging voltage and continuous charging from the TENG part, but also a rapid charging speed in the early charging phase from the EMG part. As a practical power source, the EHNG is shown to be capable of directly powering LEDs. The present work develops an effective and sustainable technique to maximally harvest mechanical energy from the environment.