Self-powered
wearable electronics to convert mechanical and thermal
energy into electrical energy are important for biomedical monitoring,
which highly require good flexibility, comfortability, signal sensitivity,
and accuracy. In this work, composite nanofiber mats of polyacrylonitrile
(PAN) and trimethylamine borane (TMAB) were prepared by electrospinning,
which exhibited excellent piezoelectric and pyroelectric abilities
in harvesting mechanical and thermal energy. The PAN/TMAB-4 nanofiber
mats not only generated a high voltage of up to 2.56 V and a high
power of 0.19 μW upon shape deformation but also exhibited linear
voltage response to thermal gradient. The hybrid piezoelectric and
pyroelectric output signals were successfully integrated together
and have been applied to precisely monitor human vital signs, including
elbow bending angles, foot posture, and breathing status, in real
time by attaching the flexible sensors to proper human body parts.
Overall, good flexibility, bifunctional sensing ability, and self-power
make PAN-/TMAB-type sensors very attractive in fabricating high-performance
electronics for detecting motion, monitoring health, and making portable
microelectronics.
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