A miniaturized fully enclosed spherical triboelectric and electromagnetic hybrid generator for multidimensional low-frequency vibration energy harvesting

Abstract

This paper presents a miniaturized fully enclosed spherical triboelectric and electromagnetic hybrid Generator (MFES-TEHG) that introduces a novel working mechanism for harvesting multidimensional low-frequency (≤5 Hz) vibration energy. Compared to previous designs, it is extremely easy to trigger, and any small vibration can be picked up. The device effectively collects vibration energy from various environmental sources, including low-frequency vibrations from mechanical equipment, human biomechanical energy, and wave energy. The fully enclosed spherical design allows the generator to operate stably under vibrations from different directions and effectively handle irregular and complex vibration sources in extreme and harsh environments. Additionally, the nanofibers produced through electrospinning technology enhance the triboelectric performance of the materials. To demonstrate the capability of MFES-TEHG in environmental vibration energy harvesting, a 120 mAh lithium battery was successfully charged to 3.2 V within 36 min, providing stable power to support various mechanical sensors for real-time monitoring of equipment operating conditions. It also collects multidirectional vibration energy during human movement, sustainably driving wearable bioelectronic devices for monitoring multiple physiological parameters. Furthermore, it successfully harvested wave energy to autonomously power smart monitoring systems for water environment parameters. The design of MFES-TEHG is expected to provide more efficient and stable power support for low-power electronic devices, driving the continuous development of fields such as structural health monitoring, smart health monitoring, and water environment monitoring.