Continuously fabricable core-shell triboelectric fibers with silk fibroin shell and hydrogel core via interfacial engineering for self-powered physiological monitoring

ABSTRACT Wearable flexible sensors serve as a fundamental platform for the accurate acquisition and real-time monitoring of physiological signals. Fiber-based triboelectric nanogenerators (F-TENGs) are promising candidates for physiological monitoring applications due to their intrinsic advantages, including mechanical flexibility, high integrability, and inherent self-powered capability. However, advanced fiber-based TENGs commonly suffer from insufficient interfacial adhesion between the dielectric layer and the electrode core, which triggers spontaneous interfacial delamination. This failure mechanism directly causes significant degradation in sensing accuracy, stability, and long-term durability. Herein, we report a fiber-based silk fibroin triboelectric nanogenerator (FSF-TENG) featuring superior interfacial robustness, exceptional stability, and enhanced output, fabricated by leveraging strong intermolecular interactions between a biocompatible silk fibroin dielectric layer and a flexible PEDOT:PSS@PVA hydrogel electrode. When integrated as a sensing unit within flexible textile substrates, the FSF-TENG exhibits a multistage linear sensitivity profile with a pressure sensitivity of 0.3838 kPa -1 , enabling real-time and precise monitoring of critical human respiratory physiological signals. This work establishes a scalable, continuous fabrication route for F-TENGs, providing innovative and practical strategies for the rational design and large-scale production of high-stability, self-powered flexible sensor systems.