Triboelectric Nanogenerator – a new energy technology

Speaker:  WANG Zhong Lin

School of Material Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0245, USA

Time: May 27, 2015, Wednesday, 10:30 – 11:30 am

Place: Room 2-100, Research Institute of Micro/Nano Science and Technology

(微纳科学技术研究院主楼100号报告厅)

校内联系人：胡志宇教授                 联系电话：13764721259

Abstract:

Triboelectrification is an effect that is known to each and every one probably ever since the ancient Greek time, but it is usually taken as a negative effect and is avoided in many technologies. We have recently invented a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that is used to convert mechanical energy into electricity by a conjunction of triboelectrification and electrostatic induction. As for this power generation unit, in the inner circuit, a potential is created by the triboelectric effect due to the charge transfer between two thin organic/inorganic films that exhibit opposite tribo-polarity; in the outer circuit, electrons are driven to flow between two electrodes attached on the back sides of the films in order to balance the potential. Ever since the first report of the TENG in January 2012, the output power density of TENG has been improved for five orders of magnitude within 12 months. The area power density reaches 500 W/m2, volume density reaches 490 kW/m3, and a conversion efficiency of ~50% has been demonstrated. The TENG can be applied to harvest all kind mechanical energy that is available but wasted in our daily life, such as human motion, walking, vibration, mechanical triggering, rotating tire, wind, flowing water and more. Alternatively, TENG can also be used as a self-powered sensor for actively detecting the static and dynamic processes arising from mechanical agitation using the voltage and current output signals of the TENG, respectively, with potential applications for touch pad and smart skin technologies. The TENG is possible not only for self-powered portable electronics, but also as a new energy technology with a potential of contributing to the world energy in the near future.

Bio:

王中林院士是佐治亚理工学院终身校董事讲席教授，Hightower终身讲席教授和纳米结构表征中心主任，化学系兼职教授和电机系兼职教授。王教授是首位中组部“计划”顶尖人才与团队入选者，中国科学院北京纳米能源与系统研究所首席科学家和首任所长。

王教授是中国科学院外籍院士和欧洲科学院院士，荣获了美国显微镜学会 1999年巴顿奖章，佐治亚理工学院2000和2005年杰出研究奖，2005年Sigma Xi学会持续研究奖，2001年S.T.Li奖金(美国)，2009年美国陶瓷学会Purdy奖，2011年美国材料学会奖章(MRS Medal), 2012年美国陶瓷学会Edward Orton Memorial奖，ACS Nano讲座奖，2014年美国物理学会James C. McGroddy 新材料奖，2013中华人民共和国国际科学技术合作奖，2014年佐治亚理工学院杰出教授终身成就奖, 2014年欧洲NANOSMAT奖，美国自然科学基金会CAREER基金，中国首批国家自然科学基金会海外优秀青年科学家基金,中国科学院海外杰出学者基金获得者。他成功地组织和担任过二十五次学术会议的主席。王教授是美国物理学会fellow，美国科学发展协会(AAAS) fellow，美国材料学会 fellow，美国显微学会fellow，美国陶瓷学会fellow。

王教授已在国际一流刊物上发表了1000篇期刊论文（其中12篇发表在美国《科学》，4篇发表在《自然》期刊上；10篇发表在《自然》子刊上）﹐45篇书章节﹐200项专利，5本专著和20余本编辑书籍和会议文集。他已被邀请做过850多次学术讲演和大会特邀报告。他的学术论文已被引用80,000次以上。他论文被引用的H因子(h-index)是137。他是世界上在材料和纳米技术论文引用次数最多的前五位作者之一。王教授在当今世界最杰出的科学家排名榜上第25名 (http://superstarsofscience.com/scientists)。

王中林是国际公认的纳米科技领域领军人物，在一维氧化物纳米结构制备、表征及其在能源技术、电子技术、光电子技术以及生物技术等应用方面均作出了原创性重大贡献。他发明了纳米发电机，并提出了自充电纳米结构系统，为微纳电子系统的发展开辟了新途径。他开创了纳米结构压电电子学和压电光电子学研究的先河，对纳米机器人、人-电界面、纳米传感器、医学诊断及光伏技术的发展具有里程碑意义。