Magnetic hexagonal structures based on triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators

Abstract

Triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators utilize hexagonal symmetry to offer a unique approach to energy harvesting and sensing. This study introduces the magnetic hexagonal structures based on triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators (MagHex-TPNG), featuring dual-modality energy harvesting within a single hexagonal framework. The MagHex-TPNG system includes a central magnetic cylinder surrounded by neodymium magnets (M2) that enhance movement and energy capture through both contact-separation and freestanding triboelectric modes, complemented by embedded piezoelectric strips. Compared to conventional planar or stacked designs, the MagHex-TPNG demonstrates superior multidirectional adaptability and enhanced energy harvesting efficiency due to its magnetically driven hexagonal configuration. This structure facilitates more effective mechanical–electrical coupling under transverse bridge vibrations, offering clear performance advantages in low-frequency, low-amplitude dynamic environments representative of real-world infrastructure conditions. Through experimental setups and numerical simulations, we demonstrate that this innovative configuration significantly boosts the operational efficiency and energy output of the system, especially under conditions of low-frequency and low-amplitude oscillations. The results highlight the superior performance of the copper configuration, which achieves an optimal output voltage of up to 2.3 V. Furthermore, the MagHex-TPNG has potential applications in monitoring lateral vibrations of long-span suspension bridges, providing an efficient solution for the continuous monitoring of transportation infrastructure, thereby enhancing safety and operational reliability.