Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offer great opportunities to deploy advanced wearable electronics that integrate a power generator and smart sensor, which eliminates the associated cost and sustainability concerns. Here, an embodiment of such integrated platforms has been presented in a graphene oxide (GO) based single-electrode TENG (S-TENG). The as-designed multifunctional device could not only harvest tiny bits of mechanical energy from ambient movements with a high power density of 3.13 W·m but also enable detecting dynamic force with an excellent sensitivity of about 388 μA·MPa. Because of the two-dimensional nanostructure and excellent surface properties, the GO-based S-TENG shows sensitive force detection and sound antimicrobial activity in comparison with conventional poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) electrodes. This technology offers great applicability prospects in portable/wearable electronics, micro/nanoelectromechanical devices, and self-powered sensors.

A sensitive and in situ selective label-free DNA sensor based on a Schottky-contacted ZnO nanowire (NW) device has been developed and utilized to detect the human immunodeficiency virus 1 gene in this work. Piezotronic effect on the performance of the DNA sensor is studied by measuring its output current under different compressive strains and target complementary DNA concentrations. By applying a -0.59% compressive strain to a ZnO NW-based DNA sensor, the relative current response is greatly enhanced by 454%. A theoretical model is proposed to explain the observed behaviors of the DNA sensor. This study provides a piezotronically modified method to effectively improve the overall performance of the Schottky-contacted ZnO NW-based DNA sensor.