Triboelectric devices are attracting attention from researchers as self-powered electronic systems that can instantly convert mechanical input into electrical energy output. To improve triboelectric energy harvesting performance, increasing the number of contacts as well as the contact area has been carried out by numerous researchers. In this study, we design a shaker-type energy harvester which is called as maracas triboelectric generator (M-TEG), inspired by the structure of maracas, one of the musical percussion instruments. A tripod frame is inserted to the inside of a cylindrical case, which is a device with the electrodes of aluminum and copper. Then, the triboelectric energy harvesting characteristics between polypropylene (PP) balls and the electrodes are measured. The M-TEG with the frame generates the energy harvesting signals up to ~100 V and ~2.5 μA due to larger contact area and numbers, which enhances the voltage and current output by 250% and 610% compared to that without the frame, respectively. This study presents the feasibility of self-powered sensors and toys using improved triboelectric energy performance with a low-cost and simple manufacturing process in the interesting structure.

Citations

• Double-Clamped Flutter-Type Triboelectric Generators Under Various Environmental Conditions
  Jimin Kang, Jihun Choi, Yebin Lee, Chang Kyu Jeong
  Journal of Electrical and Electronic Materials.2026; 39(4): 432.     CrossRef

Carbon-nanotube field-effect transistors (CNFETs) have drawn wide attention as one of the potential substitutes for metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) in the sub-10-nm era. Output characteristics of coaxially gated CNFETs were simulated using FETToy simulator to reveal the dependence of drain current on the nanotube diameter and gate oxide thickness. Nanotube diameter and gate oxide thickness employed in the simulation were 1.5, 3, and 6 nm. Simulation results show that drain current becomes large as the diameter of nanotube increases or insulator thickness decreases, and nanotube diameter affects the drain current more than the insulator thickness. An equation relating drain saturation current with nanotube diameter and insulator thickness is also proposed.