PVDF/PAN-based triboelectric nanogenerator for biomechanical energy harvesting and health monitoring applications

Wearable devices for human health monitoring have gained significant attention in recent years, offering innovative solutions for tracking physiological parameters and supporting personalized healthcare management. This study introduces a polyvinylidene fluoride/polyacrylonitrile (PVDF/PAN) electrospun film-based triboelectric nanogenerator (PP-TENG) for efficient mechanical energy harvesting. The PVDF/PAN film, optimized at 4% PAN concentration, serves as the negative triboelectric material, paired with a Nylon positive counterpart. The PVDF/PAN composite film demonstrates remarkable performance improvements over the pure PVDF film. The enhancements include over 2.3 times higher open-circuit voltage (VOC), 2.72 times higher short-circuit current (ISC), and 1.92 times greater transferred charge (QSC). The PP-TENG achieves an VOC of 160 V, a ISC of 60 μA, and a QSC of 87 nC, with a peak power output of 1.99 mW at a 2 MΩ load resistance. The PP-TENG is a versatile and efficient device for energy harvesting and self-powered health monitoring, excelling in motion tracking, respiratory monitoring, and gait analysis while being sensitive to environmental factors like humidity. This research highlights the potential of the PP-TENG as an efficient energy harvester and versatile platform for wearable health monitoring and self-powered healthcare applications.