Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Mechanical energy harvesters with tensile efficiency of 17.4% and torsional efficiency of 22.4% based on homochirally plied carbon nanotube yarns

Nature Energy volume 8, pages 203–213 (2023)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Improved methods are needed for harvesting mechanical energy. Coiled carbon nanotube yarns, termed twistrons, use stretch-induced changes in electrochemical capacitance to convert mechanical energy to electricity. Elongation of the yarn produces such large lateral Poisson’s ratios that the yarns are highly stretch densified, which contributes to harvesting. Here we report plied twistrons, instead of coiled, which increase the energy conversion efficiency of the yarns from 7.6% to 17.4% for stretch and to 22.4% for twist. This is attributed to additional harvesting mechanisms by yarn stretch and lateral deformations. For harvesting between 2 and 120 Hz, our plied twistron has higher gravimetric peak power and average power than has been reported for non-twistron, material-based mechanical energy harvesters. We sew the twistrons into textiles for sensing and harvesting human motion, deploy them in salt water for harvesting ocean wave energy and use them to charge supercapacitors.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: Fabrication, SEM images and sinusoidal tensile deformation characterization of homochiral three-ply twisted yarn harvesters in 0.1 M aqueous HCl electrolyte.
Fig. 2: Characterization of the tensile and torsional energy conversion efficiencies of three-ply yarn twistrons.
Fig. 3: Dependencies of OCV on strain, yarn density, lateral pressure and the ratio of capacitance change to the capacitance for a given deformation.
Fig. 4: Applications and comparisons of performance with literature results.

Data availability

All of the data generated in this study are included in the published Article and its Supplementary Information.

References

  1. Zi, Y. et al. Harvesting low-frequency (<5 Hz) irregular mechanical energy: a possible killer application of triboelectric nanogenerator. ACS Nano 10, 4797–4805 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Zhang, C., Tang, W., Han, C., Fan, F. & Wang, Z. L. Theoretical comparison, equivalent transformation, and conjunction operations of electromagnetic induction generator and triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting mechanical energy. Adv. Mater. 26, 3580–3591 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Gabris, M. A. & Ping, J. Carbon nanomaterial-based nanogenerators for harvesting energy from environment. Nano Energy 90, 106494 (2021).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Xu, C., Song, Y., Han, M. & Zhang, H. Portable and wearable self-powered systems based on emerging energy harvesting technology. Microsyst. Nanoeng. 7, 25 (2021).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Li, Y. et al. Improved output performance of triboelectric nanogenerator by fast accumulation process of surface charges. Adv. Energy Mater. 11, 2100050 (2021).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Salauddin, M. et al. A novel MXene/Ecoflex nanocomposite-coated fabric as a highly negative and stable friction layer for high-output triboelectric nanogenerators. Adv. Energy Mater. 11, 2002832 (2021).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Gong, W. et al. Continuous and scalable manufacture of amphibious energy yarns and textiles. Nat. Commun. 10, 868 (2019).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Espinosa, H. D., Bernal, R. A. & Minary-Jolandan, M. A review of mechanical and electromechanical properties of piezoelectric nanowires. Adv. Mater. 24, 4656–4675 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Cha, S. et al. Porous PVDF as effective sonic wave driven nanogenerators. Nano Lett. 11, 5142–5147 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Jiang, Y. et al. Optimizing energy harvesting performance of cone dielectric elastomer generator based on VHB elastomer. Nano Energy 71, 104606 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Huang, J., Shian, S., Suo, Z. & Clarke, D. R. Maximizing the energy density of dielectric elastomer generators using equi-biaxial loading. Adv. Funct. Mater. 23, 5056–5061 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Zhang, M. et al. Self-powered, electrochemical carbon nanotube pressure sensors for wave monitoring. Adv. Funct. Mater. 30, 2004564 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Kim, S. H. et al. Harvesting electrical energy from carbon nanotube yarn twist. Science 357, 773–778 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Mun, T. J. et al. Wearable energy generating and storing textile based on carbon nanotube yarns. Adv. Funct. Mater. 30, 2000411 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Jang, Y. et al. Self-powered coiled carbon-nanotube yarn sensor for gastric electronics. ACS Sens. 4, 2893–2899 (2019).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Kim, S. et al. Electrochemically driven mechanical energy harvesting. Nat. Commun. 7, 10146 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Moon, J. K., Jeong, J., Lee, D. & Pak, H. K. Electrical power generation by mechanically modulating electrical double layers. Nat. Commun. 4, 1487 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhang, Y. et al. Micro electrostatic energy harvester with both broad bandwidth and high normalized power density. Appl. Energy 212, 362–371 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Xu, Y. et al. A one-dimensional fluidic nanogenerator with a high power conversion efficiency. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 56, 12940–12945 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Liu, J., Dai, L. & Baur, J. W. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes for flow-induced voltage generation. J. Appl. Phys. 101, 64312 (2007).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Zhang, Z. et al. Emerging hydrovoltaic technology. Nat. Nanotechnol. 13, 1109–1119 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Xue, G. et al. Water-evaporation-induced electricity with nanostructured carbon materials. Nat. Nanotechnol. 12, 317–321 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Li, M. et al. Gel-electrolyte-coated carbon nanotube yarns for self-powered and knittable piezoionic sensors. ACS Appl. Electron. Mater. 3, 944–954 (2021).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Wang, Z. et al. More powerful twistron carbon nanotube yarn mechanical energy harvesters. Adv. Mater. 34, 2201826 (2022).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Nurazzi, N. M. et al. Treatments of natural fiber as reinforcement in polymer composites—a short review. Funct. Compos. Struct. 3, 24002 (2021).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Jung, W. et al. High output piezo/triboelectric hybrid generator. Sci. Rep. 5, 9309 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Inoue, H. et al. The critical role of the forest morphology for dry drawability of few-walled carbon nanotubes. Carbon 158, 662–671 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Xu, M., Futaba, D. N., Yumura, M. & Hata, K. Alignment control of carbon nanotube forest from random to nearly perfectly aligned by utilizing the crowding effect. ACS Nano 6, 5837–5844 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Zhu, J. et al. The effect of various electrolyte cations on electrochemical performance of polypyrrole/RGO based supercapacitors. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 17, 28666–28673 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Taylor, L. W. et al. Improved properties, increased production, and the path to broad adoption of carbon nanotube fibers. Carbon 171, 689–694 (2021).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Kang, M. G. et al. High power magnetic field energy harvesting through amplified magneto-mechanical vibration. Adv. Energy Mater. 8, 1703313 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Ye, C. et al. A triboelectric–electromagnetic hybrid nanogenerator with broadband working range for wind energy harvesting and a self-powered wind speed sensor. ACS Energy Lett. 6, 1443–1452 (2021).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Xie, Y. et al. Grating-structured freestanding triboelectric-layer nanogenerator for harvesting mechanical energy at 85% total conversion efficiency. Adv. Mater. 26, 6599–6607 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Zhang, M., Atkinson, K. R. & Baughman, R. H. Multifunctional carbon nanotube yarns by downsizing an ancient technology. Science 306, 1358–1361 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Baughman, R. H., Stafstrom, S., Cui, C. & Dantas, S. O. Materials with negative compressibilities in one or more dimensions. Science 279, 1522–1524 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Kong, J. et al. Temperature dependence of ion diffusion coefficients in NaCl electrolyte confined within graphene nanochannels. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 19, 7678–7688 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Kim, D. et al. High-performance nanopattern triboelectric generator by block copolymer lithography. Nano Energy 12, 331–338 (2015).

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Support in the United States was from Navy grants ONR/STTR N68335-18-C-0368 (R.H.B.) and ONR N00014-22-1-2569 (R.H.B.), Air Force Office of Scientific Research grants N68335-19C-0303 (R.H.B.) and FA9550-21-1-0455 (R.H.B.), Robert A. Welch Foundation grant AT-0029 (R.H.B.), National Science Foundation grant CMMI-1636306 (H.L.) and Department of Energy grant DE-NA0003962 (H.L.).

Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Mengmeng Zhang, Wenting Cai.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA

    Mengmeng Zhang, Wenting Cai, Zhong Wang, Shaoli Fang, Ali E. Aliev, Anvar A. Zakhidov, Jiyoung Oh & Ray H. Baughman

  2. School of Chemistry, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China

    Wenting Cai

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA

    Runyu Zhang & Hongbing Lu

  4. Nano-Science & Technology Center, Lintec of America, Plano, TX, USA

    Chi Huynh

  5. Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

    Enlai Gao

  6. Center for Self-Powered Actuation, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea

    Ji Hwan Moon, Jong Woo Park & Seon Jeong Kim

Authors
  1. Mengmeng Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wenting Cai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shaoli Fang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Runyu Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Hongbing Lu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Ali E. Aliev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Anvar A. Zakhidov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Chi Huynh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Enlai Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Jiyoung Oh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Ji Hwan Moon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Jong Woo Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Seon Jeong Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Ray H. Baughman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

M.Z. and R.H.B. conceived of and initiated the project. C.H. synthesized the CNT forests. M.Z., W.C., Z.W., S.F., A.E.A., A.A.Z., J.O., J.H.M., J.W.P. and S.J.K. fabricated the CNT yarns and measured their performance. M.Z., W.C., S.F. and C.H. characterized the microstructure of the CNT yarns. M.Z., W.C., S.F., R.Z., H.L., E.G. and R.H.B. conducted the X-ray tomography characterization. M.Z., W.C., Z.W., S.F., A.E.A. and R.H.B. demonstrated the applications of CNT yarns. All authors conducted the data analysis and prepared the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ray H. Baughman.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

Z.W., R.H.B., M.Z., W.C., S.F., S.J.K. and J.H.M. are among the inventors of provisional US patent application number 63/235,023, submitted jointly by the Board of Regents, University of Texas System (for the University of Texas at Dallas) and Industry-University Cooperation Foundation of Hanyang University, which covers the design, fabrication, performance and applications of twistron mechanical energy harvesters. The remaining authors declare no competing interests.

Peer review

Peer review information

Nature Energy thanks Soo Jin Adrian Koh and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Information

Supplementary Figs. 1–61, Tables 1 and 2 and references 1–90.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, M., Cai, W., Wang, Z. et al. Mechanical energy harvesters with tensile efficiency of 17.4% and torsional efficiency of 22.4% based on homochirally plied carbon nanotube yarns. Nat Energy 8, 203–213 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-022-01191-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-022-01191-7

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing