Energy Harvesting & Self-Powered Systems

Energy harvesting research at NanoMAD aims to establish sustainable, maintenance-free power sources for flexible and wearable sensors. By combining material innovation, structural design, and system-level integration, we develop compact devices capable of generating usable electrical output from motion, vibration, and deformation under various conditions.

Outline:

NanoMAD develops next-generation self-powered electronic systems that convert ambient mechanical energy into electrical energy through advanced energy harvesting mechanisms. Our research spans triboelectric, piezoelectric, and hybrid energy conversion technologies, as well as their integration into autonomous sensing platforms for wearable and environmental applications.

Our main research areas include:

1. Triboelectric Energy Harvesting: Design and optimization of contact-separation and sliding-mode triboelectric devices using polymeric and metallic composites to achieve high output density and durability.

2. Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting: Fabrication and characterization of composite films with enhanced polarization and electromechanical coupling for efficient mechanical-to-electrical conversion.

3. Hybrid Energy Harvesting Systems: Integration of TENG, PENG, and EMG modules for broadband, multi-mode energy collection from dynamic motions such as waves, vibrations, and human movements.

4. Self-Powered Devices: Design of integrated systems that harvest ambient energy and operate autonomously without external power, enabling continuous and sustainable sensing for wearable, biomedical, and environmental applications.