Waterproof, Breathable, and Antibacterial Self‐Powered e‐Textiles Based on Omniphobic Triboelectric Nanogenerators

Abstract

Multifunctional electronic textiles (e-textiles) incorporating miniaturized electronic devices will pave the way toward a new generation of wearable devices and human-machine interfaces. Unfortunately, the development of e-textiles is subject to critical challenges, such as battery dependence, breathability, satisfactory washability, and compatibility with mass production techniques. This work describes a simple and cost-effective method to transform conventional garments and textiles into waterproof, breathable, and antibacterial e-textiles for self-powered human-machine interfacing. Combining embroidery with the spray-based deposition of fluoroalkylated organosilanes and highly networked nanoflakes, omniphobic triboelectric nanogenerators (R F -TENGs) can be incorporated into any fiber-based textile to power wearable devices using energy harvested from human motion. R F -TENGs are thin, flexible, breathable (air permeability 90.5 mm s −1 ), inexpensive to fabricate (<0.04$ cm −2 ), and capable of producing a high power density (600 µW cm −2 ). E-textiles based on R F -TENGs repel water, stains, and bacterial growth, and show excellent stability under mechanical deformations and remarkable washing durability under standard machine-washing tests. Moreover, e-textiles based on R F -TENGs are compatible with large-scale production processes and exhibit high sensitivity to touch, enabling the cost-effective manufacturing of wearable human-machine interfaces.

Ultrasensitive Wearable Pressure Sensors Based on Silver Nanowire-Coated Fabrics

“…Furthermore, the air permeability of both normal cotton and AgNW-coated cotton was investigated. Despite the air permeability was reduced from 787.3 to 252.6 mm/s, this value is still much higher than the recently reported ones [35,36]. This result demonstrated that the wearable pressure sensors based on silver nanowire-coated fabrics remain good air permeability because of its high porosity.…”

Towards Truly Wearable Systems: Optimizing and Scaling Up Wearable Triboelectric Nanogenerators

“…For instance, the fiber/yarn-based TENG fabrication methods include laboratory-scale electrospinning ( Li et al., 2020 ), wrapping or coiling with a motor ( Lou et al., 2020 ; Ye et al., 2020a ), twisting techniques ( Zhou et al., 2014a , 2014b ), etc. These yarns and fibers are typically embedded or converted into fabrics using sewing ( He et al., 2019 ; Lai et al., 2017 ), hand weaving ( Liu et al., 2019a , 2019b ; Zhang et al., 2016 ), shuttle weaving ( Chen et al., 2016 ), hand knitting ( Dong et al., 2017b ), pilot-scale nonwoven techniques ( Peng et al., 2019 ), and embroidery ( Sala de Medeiros et al., 2019 ) methods. On the other hand, fabric-based TENG developments utilize techniques such as dip coating and dyeing ( Chen et al., 2018 ; Ko et al., 2015 ; Pu et al., 2015 ; Seung et al., 2015 ), spin coating ( Lee et al., 2015 ), plasma treatment ( Matsunaga et al., 2020 ), screen printing ( Paosangthong et al., 2019b ), electrodeposition ( Zhu et al., 2012 ), reactive ion etching ( Ye et al., 2020b ), lithography ( Zhang et al., 2019 ), etc., to triboelectrically modify the contact surface or fabric structure.…”

“… (D) (i) Flowchart for top TENG layer and (ii) bottom TENG layer for an omniphobic TENG. Reprinted from ref ( Sala de Medeiros et al., 2019 ) with permission, Copyright©2019 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. …”

“… Sala de Medeiros et al. (2019) developed an omniphobic TENG by combining embroidery and spray deposition of conductive nanoflakes, PTFE, and fluoroalkylated organosilanes, in a twill woven fabric substrate.…”

“…Electrical characterization of textile-based TENGs is conducted by different research groups using different methods. These methods include the measurement of current, voltage, charge, and power outputs, using oscilloscopes or electrometers ( Dudem et al., 2019 ; Paosangthong et al., 2019b ; Sala de Medeiros et al., 2019 ; Wang et al., 2020 ), when the TENG is subjected to mechanical excitation. Mechanical excitation could be provided manually (hand tapping, Lai et al., 2017 ; Liu et al., 2018a , 2018b ; Mallineni et al., 2018 ; Yang et al., 2018a ; bending, Dong et al., 2017a ; Zhang et al., 2019 , 2016 ; Zhou et al., 2014a , 2014b ) or mechanically (linear motor, Dong et al., 2017b ; Zhao et al., 2020 ), (shaker, Dudem et al., 2020 , 2019 ), with a specified amplitude and speed.…”