Triboelectric-based Self-Powered Smart Skin

Haixia (Alice) Zhang, Professor
Institute of Microelectronics, Peking University

In the past decades, the development of new material and fabrication process makes the electronics engineering bloom again from the traditional silicon-based electronics to the polymer based stretchable electronics. This talk will focus on the TENG based self-powered smart devices, which are beneficial for solving the energy supply problem of sensor networks in the stretchable electronic system. We firstly summarize the choice of the working mode and the detection mode, which is the fundamental point for designing a proper e-skin with the expected function. Furthermore, the method to mimic the properties of human skin, which must meet the demands of mechanical stretchability and electrical conductance at the same time, is reviewed from the electrode aspect and dielectric aspect, respectively. The material development and structure construction are two main approaches for making the conductor into stretchability. For the dielectric, the methods to improve the performance and endow more human skin functions like biocompatibility, self-healing and humidity-resistance are also stated. Furthermore, the state-of-the-art functional self-powered e-skins, such as pressure sensor, position sensor, strain sensor and sliding sensor, are demonstrated to discuss their great potential in different application fields.

About the Speaker

Dr. Zhang is a pioneer and leading scientist in micro/nanotechnology, especially in high efficiency energy harvesting and self-powering devices & systems. Dr. Zhang has authored and co-authored 250+ peer reviewed scientific articles on the prestigious journals, such as Energy & Environmental Science, Nano Energy, Nano Letters, ACS Nano, Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional Materials, et al. She edited and co-edited 8 books and book chapters, and held 46 patents, including 3 US patents. She has delivered 100+ plenaries, keynotes, invited and seminar talks at international and national academic conferences as well as universities and research institutions. She is the founder of iCAN (International Contest of Innovation), co-founder and general Chair of IEEE NEMS Conference. She serves on the editorial board of IEEE TNano, JMEMS, Microsystem and Nanoengineering, et al.