Stretchable Energy‐Harvesting Tactile Interactive Interface with Liquid‐Metal‐Nanoparticle‐Based Electrodes

• Published in: Advanced functional materials Vol. 30; no. 29
• Main Authors: Yang, Yijia, Han, Jing, Huang, Jinrong, Sun, Jia, Wang, Zhong Lin, Seo, Soonmin, Sun, Qijun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2020
• Subjects: Circuits; Electric power generation; Electrodes; electronic skin; Energy; energy harvesters; Energy harvesting; Interactive systems; Keyboards; liquid metal nanoparticles; Liquid metals; Materials science; Nanogenerators; Nanoparticles; Robotics; Robustness; stretchable electronics; Switches; tactile interfaces; Tactile sensors (robotics); Touch; triboelectric nanogenerators; Wearable technology
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201909652

Energy‐harvesting electronic skin (E‐skin) is highly promising for sustainable and self‐powered interactive systems, wearable human health monitors, and intelligent robotics. Flexible/stretchable electrodes and robust energy‐harvesting components are critical in constructing soft, wearable, and energy‐autonomous E‐skin systems. A stretchable energy‐harvesting tactile interactive interface is demonstrated using liquid metal nanoparticles (LM‐NPs)‐based electrodes. This stretchable energy‐harvesting tactile interface relies on triboelectric nanogenerator composed of a galinstan LM‐NP‐based stretchable electrode and patterned elastic polymer friction and encapsulation layer. It provides stable and high open‐circuit voltage (268 V), short‐circuit current (12.06 µA), and transferred charges (103.59 nC), which are sufficient to drive commercial portable electronics. As a self‐powered tactile sensor, it presents satisfactory and repeatable sensitivity of 2.52 V·kPa−1 and is capable of working as a touch interactive keyboard. The demonstrated stretchable and robust energy‐harvesting E‐skin using LM‐NP‐based electrodes is of great significance in sustainable human–machine interactive system, intelligent robotic skin, security tactile switches, etc. A stretchable energy‐harvesting E‐skin (or self‐powered tactile interactive interface) is developed using liquid metal nanoparticles with energy‐harvesting and pressure‐sensing functions. This energy‐harvesting tactile interface provides stable output performance and excellent pressure sensing properties for driving portable electronics and works as a self‐powered tactile keyboard.