Carbon-Based Textile-Structured Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Smart Wearables

Abstract

Recent advances in wearable electronics have been propelled by the rapid growth of microelectronics and Internet of Things. The proliferation of electronic devices and sensors relies heavily on power sources, predominantly batteries, with significant implications for the environment. To address this concern and to reduce carbon emissions, there is a growing emphasis on renewable energy harvesting technologies, among which textile-based triboelectric nanogenerators (T-TENGs) stand out as an innovative and sustainable solution due to having the interesting characteristics like large contact area, lightweight design, flexibility, comfort, scalability, and breathability. T-TENGs can harness mechanical energy from human movement and convert it into electric energy. However, one of the challenges is low electric power output, which can be addressed by meticulous selection of material pairs with significant differences in work function and optimizing contact areas. The incorporation of carbon-based nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes and graphene, emerges as a key strategy to enhance output. This review delineates recent progress in T-TENGs incorporating carbonaceous nanofillers, comprehensively addressing fundamental classification, operational mode, structural design, working performance, and potential challenges that are hindering commercialization. By doing this, this review aims to stimulate future investigations into sustainable, high-performance smart wearables integrated with T-TENGs.