Achieving Ultra-High-Power Output in Triboelectric Energy Harvesters by Torrent-Like Charge Regulation.

Abstract

The state-of-the-art energy harvesters that harness environmental kinetic energy toward realizing battery-free Internet of Things (IoT) applications are susceptible to low power density owing to low charge density and high output impedance. Here, a new charge regulation strategy is introduced that simultaneously enhances charge transport rate and the total amount of charges, allowing for achieving a volumetric peak power density exceeding 10 MW m-3. It is demonstrated that such an enhanced performance results from the synergistic cooperation between a transistor-inspired switching architecture that accelerates charge transfer rate whereas minimizing internal impedance and a bio-inspired charge vascular system that enhances the amount of generated charge, together contributing to a torrent-like charge regulation (TCR). The unique TCR strategy as well as the induced high power output endows a fully battery-free wireless sensing and communication platform, highlighting its potential to enable sustainable, distributed battery-free IoT networks in real-world applications.