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A lightweight, flexible, cost-effective, and robust, single-electrode-based Smart Seat-Triboelectric Nanogenerator (SS-TENG) is introduced as a promising eco-friendly approach for harvesting energy from the living environment, for use in integrated self-powered systems. An effective method for harvesting biomechanical energy from human motion such as walking, running, and sitting, utilizing widely adaptable everyday contact materials (newspaper, denim, polyethylene covers, and bus cards) is demonstrated. The working mechanism of the SS-TENG is based on the generation and transfer of triboelectric charge carriers between the active layer and user-friendly contact materials. The performance of SS-TENG (52 V and 5.2 μA for a multiunit SS-TENG) is systematically studied and demonstrated in a range of applications including a self-powered passenger seat number indicator and a STOP-indicator using LEDs, using a simple logical circuit. Harvested energy is used as a direct power source to drive 60 blue and green commercially available LEDs and a monochrome LCD. This feasibility study confirms that triboelectric nanogenerators are a suitable technology for energy harvesting from human motion during transportation, which could be used to operate a variety of wireless devices, GPS systems, electronic devices, and other sensors during travel.

We demonstrate a flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG) constructed using a hybrid (or composite) film composed of highly crystalline BaTi(1-x)Zr(x)O3 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, and 0.2) nanocubes (abbreviated as BTZO) synthesized using a molten-salt process embedded into a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix solution via ultrasonication. The potential of a BTZO/PVDF hybrid film is realized in fabricating eco-friendly devices, active sensors, and flexible nanogenerators to interpret its functionality. Our strategy is based on the incorporation of various Zr(4+) doping ratios into the Ti(4+) site of BaTiO3 nanocubes to enhance the performance of the PNG. The flexible nanogenerator (BTZO/PVDF) exhibits a high electrical output up to ∼11.9 V and ∼1.35 μA compared to the nanogenerator (BTO/PVDF) output of 7.99 V and 1.01 μA upon the application of cyclic pushing-releasing frequencies with a constant load (11 N). We also demonstrate another exciting application of the PNG as a self-powered sensor to measure different water velocities at an outlet pipe. The average maximum peak power of the PNG varies from 0.2 to 15.8 nW for water velocities ranging from 31.43 to 125.7 m/s during the water ON condition. This study shows the compositional dependence approach, fabrication of nanostructures for energy harvesting, and self-powered devices in the field of monitoring for remote area applications.

We report the gate-tunable photoresponse of a defective graphene over the ultraviolet (UV) and the visible light illumination, where the defect was generated by plasma irradiation. Plasma induced Dirac point shift indicates the p-doping effect. Interestingly the defective-graphene field effect transistor (defective-GFET) showed a negative shift upon UV illumination, whereas the device showed a positive shift under visible light illumination, along with the change in the photocurrent. The defective-GFET device showed a high photoresponsivity of 37 mA W(-1) under visible light, that is ∼3 times higher than that of the pristine graphene device. Photoinduced molecular desorption causes the UV light responsivity to 18 mA W(-1). This study shows that the tunable photodetector with high responsivity is feasible by introducing an artificial defect on graphene surface.

In this study, we developed an innovative, flexible, organic-inorganic hybrid composite nanogenerator, which was used to drive a self-powered microwire-based pH sensor. The hybrid composite nanogenerator was fabricated using ZnO nanowire and piezoelectric polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride), through a simple, inexpensive solution-casting technique. The fabricated hybrid composite nanogenerator delivered a maximum open-circuit voltage of 6.9 V and a short-circuit current of 0.96 μA, with an output power of 6.624 μW under uniaxial compression. This high-performance, electric poling free composite nanogenerator opens up the possibility of industrial-scale fabrication. The hybrid nanogenerator demonstrated its ability to drive five green LEDs simultaneously, without using an energy-storage device. Additionally, we constructed a self-powered pH sensor, using a ZnO microwire powered with our hybrid nanogenerator. The output voltage varied according to changes in the pH level. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using a hybrid nanogenerator as a self-powered device that can be extended for use as a biosensor for environmental monitoring and/or as a smart, wearable, vibration sensor in future applications.

We report the electronic characteristics of an avant-garde graphene-field-effect transistor (G-FETs) based on ZnO microwire as top-gate electrode with self-induced dielectric layer. Surface-adsorbed oxygen is wrapped up the ZnO microwire to provide high electrostatic gate-channel capacitance. This nonconventional device structure yields an on-current of 175 μA, on/off current ratio of 55, and a device mobility exceeding 1630 cm(2)/(V s) for holes and 1240 cm(2)/(V s) for electrons at room temperature. Self-induced gate dielectric process prevents G-FETs from impurity doping and defect formation in graphene lattice and facilitates the lithographic process. Performance degradation of G-FETs can be overcome by this avant-garde device structure.

Vanadium pentoxide (V(2)O(5)) has attracted attention for supercapcitor applications because of its extensive multifunctional properties. In the present study, V(2)O(5) nanoporous network was synthesized via simple capping-agent-assisted precipitation technique and it is further annealed at different temperatures. The effect of annealing temperature on the morphology, electrochemical and structural properties, and stability upon oxidation-reduction cycling has been analyzed for supercapacitor application. We achieved highest specific capacitance of 316 F g(-1) for interconnected V(2)O(5) nanoporous network. This interconnected nanoporous network creates facile nanochannels for ion diffusion and facilitates the easy accessibility of ions. Moreover, after six hundred consecutive cycling processes the specific capacitance has changed only by 24%. A simple cost-effective preparation technique of V(2)O(5) nanoporous network with excellent capacitive behavior, energy density, and stability encourages its possible commercial exploitation for the development of high-performance supercapacitors.