PDMS/BNT-BKT Composite-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Self-Powered Health Monitoring

The field of sensors is moving toward miniaturization, and it requires suitable power sources for operation. In this context, the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) can become a partial solution as a sustainable power source for various sensors. The present work focuses on developing a TENG fabricated from the flexible polymer-ceramic composite films, i.e., PDMS-Bi0.5(Na1–xKx)0.5TiO3 where x = 0.1, 0.14, 0.18, and 0.22 (BNT-BKT), which act as potential self-powering devices for sleep and respiration monitoring. The structural and spectroscopic characterization of the BNT-BKT particles showcased the presence of a morphotropic phase boundary. The dielectric constant increases with the inclusion of BKT, and the observed dielectric loss of the BNT-BKT samples is much less compared to that of the parent BNT samples. An attempt is made to fabricate a TENG based on PDMS/BNT-BKT composites (CFs). The triboelectric nanogenerator with 10 wt % PDMS/BNT-BKT CF gives an electrical output voltage of 292 V and a current of 3.47 μA. Finally, a calculator is successfully powered by charging a 47 μF capacitor using the fabricated TENG device. Furthermore, the TENG device is utilized for continuous monitoring of breathing patterns during rapid exercise and also jerks during sleep, underscoring its wide application in healthcare monitoring.