Screen-printing tribovoltaic textile with enhanced interface layer for motion tracking and respiration monitoring

Abstract

Smart textiles have emerged as a promising frontier in wearable technology, with textile-based triboelectric nanogenerators standing out for their dual functionality in sensing and energy harvesting. The recent advent of tribovoltaic textiles has addressed key issues associated with triboelectric textiles, such as alternating output and high device impedance, yet challenges remain in semiconductor selection and device sensitivity, air permeability and garment integration, as well as natural motion tracking and health monitoring. Here, we employ low-cost, eco-friendly, and abundant carbon black as a novel p-type semiconductor and present an air-permeable, pressure-sensitive, and full-textile tribovoltaic nanogenerator fabricated using mature and scalable screen printing technology. The friction between silver and carbon black textiles generates direct current output via the formation of a Schottky junction. The incorporation of thermoplastic polyurethane as an interface layer markedly improves device performance and stability (>12-month usage). Upon full integration into everyday clothing, the smart garment is capable of sensing natural motion (e.g., knee or elbow flexion) and monitoring health (e.g., breathing) with high sensitivity (29.0–37.8 dB). These findings provide an economical and scalable strategy for the fabrication of tribovoltaic textiles, thereby facilitating the development of next-generation wearable technologies with enhanced functionality and practicality.