Self-Powered Persistent Phosphorescence for Reliable Optical Display

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG)-based display techniques are promising in converting kinetic energy into light signals for optical communications. However, the instantaneous TENG current usually generates transient light, leading to incomplete information. Hence, a self-powered phosphorescence display (SPD) system is proposed to realize complete information display. Ultralong organic phosphorescence (UOP) combined with an elastomer is applied to contrive a delayed luminescent array, and a TENG in a slant grating electrode of 45° is fabricated to generate electricity in latitudinal and longitudinal trajectories. The assembled SPD system can provide ultralong phosphorescence over 2.5 s, about 10 times longer than the original LED. A luminescent array is fabricated to demonstrate the delayed display of the SPD system, where the patterned trajectory of the TENG is reproduced as a delayed display that can avoid missing information. This SPD system is anticipated to improve applications of UOP materials in displays and to broaden applications of TENG in self-powered display and visualized tracking.