First DIY triboelectric nanogenerator presented at IEEE-MEMS

© 2016 EPFL

© 2016 EPFL

Congratulations to Xiao-Sheng Zang who presented his novel triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) at the IEEE-MEMS conference in Shanghai.

A team of researchers from the Univeristy of Tokyo and EPFL developped a novel triboelectric nanogenerator device which is made from cheap household materials that are environmentally friendly and degradable. In particular the device consist of a cardboard, a telfon tape and a carbon film from a pencil assembled as shown in the figure. The device can generate a potential up to 3V.

The novel device was mentioned in many tech-news portals all over the world:

  • EETimes: "Create a Cardboard Energy Harvester" [Link]
  • GenevaLunch: "EPFL: fees to rise; smart electricity" [Link]
  • EPFLNews: "Producing electrical power with cardboard, tape, and a pencil" [Link]