Seminar : Andris Šutka

Professor at the Rīgas Tehniskā Universitāte (Latvia) and guest professor at the LMPS

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Understanding the mechanisms of surface charge formation on polymers – toward mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion

Enlarge the image — Polymer contact electrification via heterolysis

The surface charge formation on polymers has gained vast attention in mechanical energy harvesting and related application for powering microdevices and portable electronics. Numerous triboelectric generator (TG) device concepts have been demonstrated that exploit surface charge for harvesting mechanical energy from biomechanical movement, water drops, ambient noise, wind, and water waves. The magnitude of triboelectric surface charge governs the performance of TG devices.

Thus, it is essential to understand the mechanism of charge formation and to identify the most effective pathways for designing triboelectric materials with better performance.