Thermal Insulating Textile Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Outdoor Wearable Sensing and Interaction

People have shown increasing interests in outdoor activities in recent years. However, the development of smart outdoor clothing for sophisticated health monitoring and multifunctional interaction remains challenging. Here, we develop a thermal-insulating textile based TENG (TI-TENG) composed of multiple functional layers, including the crucial triboelectrification layer, Ag-coated Nylon electrodes, windproof outer textile, and inner textile lining. The triboelectric output properties of the TI-TENG can be enhanced by material modification and structural optimization. The prepared TI-TENG is demonstrated with multifunctionality (e.g., thermal insulation and antibacterial properties) and intelligences (e.g., sensing and energy harvesting function). In addition, an intelligent human motion monitoring as well as an outdoor wireless signal transmission system are developed by employing the TI-TENGs as self-powered wearable sensors and human-machine interactive interfaces, which are ready for one-button call for emergency rescue during the outdoor activities. The available large-scale production of TI-textile also promise TENG with great commercial potentials, offering a new research direction for multifunctional wearable devices toward self-powered sensing, energy harvesting, and human-machine interaction.