The Energy-harvesting (EH) technologies converts mechanical and natural energy into electrical energy. Especially, our main researches focuse on TENG (triboelectric nanogenerators), based on coupling effect of contact electrification and electrostatic induction, and HG (Hydrovoltaic Generator), which converts water movements through specific nanomaterials into electrical energy. EH technologies have a wide range of applications beyond just energy harvesting such as self-powered sensing, power sourcing for actuating, healthcare, and so on. EH make them a promising technology with the potential to revolutionize various industries by providing sustainable and efficient energy solutions for a wide range of applications.
The finite element method (FEM) is a numerical method for solving problems of engineering and mathematical physics. Typical problem areas of interest include structural analysis, heat transfer, fluid flow, mass transport, and electromagnetic potential. The finite element method formulation of the problem results in a system of algebraic equations. The method yields approximate values of the unknowns at discrete number of points over the domain. In our group, we utilize a FEM simulation tool by midas NFX (Midas IT Co.) and COMSOL via 2D or 3D modeling to objectively understand the relationship between mechanical loads and formed stresses on nano/micro-scaled materials to evaluate durability and stability of objects. Furthermore, we can estimate the functionality of mechanical energy harvesters with visualization of surface area and strain in material point of view.