Ultrastretchable Triboelectric Nanogenerators Based on Ecoflex/Porous Carbon for Self‐Powered Gesture Recognition

Abstract Stretchable triboelectric nanogenerator (STENG) has become the research hotspots in flexible power supply, which is indispensable in intelligent wearable electronics. In this work, an ultrastretchable Ecoflex/porous carbon‐based STENG (EP‐STENG) is presented for gesture recognition application. Due to the ultrahigh stretchability of Ecoflex (570%) and high conductivity of porous carbon, the EP thin film acts as an excellent stretchable electrode under various deformations. In addition, the output performance of the EP‐STENG can be enhanced by adjusting the concentration of porous carbon. At a mass fraction of 0.28 wt%, the EP‐STENG reaches the optimal output performance. This is due to the appropriate conductive networks and strong trapping effect. Surprisingly, the performance of the EP‐STENG still remains 70% at a stretching strain of 177%, which makes it a promising wearable sensor for human–machine interaction. Finally, the EP‐STENG‐based stretchable sensor array can acquire gesture signal of the fingers, which can control the mechanical hand to make corresponding actions. The proposed ultrastretchable EP‐STENG can promote the development of intelligent wearable system and flexible electronics.