Triboelectric nanogenerators and self-powered sensors for smart farming

The primary goal of this project was to design a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) device that could function as a viable green energy source for smart farming. The TENG was designed to harvest energy from the wind through the triboelectric mechanism from movements assisted by magnets. We hypothesized that the larger displacements and faster switching of the triboelectric polar pairs for the TENG device would optimize the device’s electrical output efficiency thus generating higher voltage output. Then, we tested the TENG under different moving displacements and frequencies, from which we found the electrical output was most dependent on the frequencies. Using the optimal configuration discovered from the tests, we integrated the TENG atop a plant-mimic structure that swings in the wind, thereby converting the wind energy into electricity to power a humidity sensor. This compact yet environmentally friendly energy harvesting device has promise as an alternative power source for smart farming sensors.