Flexible and Multifunctional Polyimide Aerogel-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Motion Monitoring Applications

Abstract

Aerogels are widely used in production and life due to their ultralow density and high porosity, but their limited mechanical strength restricts their wider application. Therefore, developing aerogel composites with excellent mechanical properties such as flexibility and compression rebound requires more design paradigms. In this paper, a multifunctional polyimide (PI) aerogel material with flexible, antibacterial, and hydrophobic properties was successfully prepared. The resulting aerogel material exhibited outstanding stability after 500 compression cycles at 50% strain, achieved an antibacterial efficacy exceeding 95% against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and possessed a remarkable water contact angle of 133.28°; it ensured a satisfactory performance in humid scenes where bacteria are likely to breed (inside shoes). A flexible, self-cleaning, and antibacterial triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) was constructed for energy harvesting and motion monitoring using this PI aerogel material. The device can generate a short-circuit current of 3 μA and an output voltage of 300 V. Based on this TENG, a wireless smart mat and gait recognition sensor was developed, which advanced the application of flexible devices in sustainable monitoring and self-sensing.