Self-powered pressure sensor for ultra-wide range pressure detection

The next generation of sensors should be self-powered, maintenance-free, precise, and have wide-ranging sensing abilities. Despite extensive research and development in the field of pressure sensors, the sensitivity of most pressure sensors declines significantly at higher pressures, such that they are not able to detect a wide range of pressures with a uniformly high sensitivity. In this work, we demonstrate a single-electrode triboelectric pressure sensor, which can detect a wide range of pressures from 0.05 to 600 kPa with a high degree of sensitivity across the entire range by utilizing the synergistic effects of the piezoelectric polarization and triboelectric surface charges of self-polarized polyvinyldifluoride-trifluoroethylene (P(VDF-TrFE)) sponge. Taking into account both this wide pressure range and the sensitivity, this device exhibits the best performance relative to that of previously reported self-powered pressure sensors. This achievement facilitates wide-range pressure detection for a broad spectrum of applications, ranging from simple human touch, sensor networks, smart robotics, and sports applications, thus paving the way forward for the realization of next-generation sensing devices. Moreover, this work addresses the critical issue of saturation pressure in triboelectric nanogenerators and provides insights into the role of the surface charge on a piezoelectric polymer when used in a triboelectric nanogenerator.