Advances in electrospun fiber-based flexible nanogenerators for wearable applications

Abstract

In today's digital age, the need and interest in personal and portable electronics shows a dramatic growth trend in daily life parallel to the developments in sensors technologies and the internet. Wearable electronics that can be attached to clothing, accessories, and the human body are one of the most promising subfields. The energy requirement for the devices considering the reduction in device sizes and the necessity of being flexible and light, the existing batteries are insufficient and nanogenerators have been recognized a suitable energy source in the last decade. The mechanical energy created by the daily activities of the human body is an accessible and natural energy source for nanogenerators. Fiber-structured functional materials contribute to the increase in energy efficiency due to their effective surface to volume ratio while providing the necessary compatibility and comfort for the movements in daily life with its flexibility and lightness. Among the potential solutions, electrospinning stands out as a promising technique that can meet these requirements, allowing for simple, versatile, and continuous fabrication. Herein, wearable electronics and their future potential, electrospinning, and its place in energy applications are overviewed. Moreover, piezoelectric, triboelectric, and hybrid nanogenerators fabricated or associated with electrospun fibrous materials are presented.