An electromagnetic-triboelectric hybrid harvester for fully self-powered wireless sensing via complementary energy conversion

Abstract Vibration is ubiquitous in industrial environments, such as transportation systems and marine structures, offering a promising energy source for developing self-powered sensing systems. However, most existing vibration energy harvesters rely on a single transduction mechanism, which limits output performance, energy utilization efficiency, and system-level applicability. To address these limitations, we propose a vertically integrated electromagnetic-triboelectric hybrid vibration energy harvester (VI-HVEH), in which an electromagnetic generator (EMG) and a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) are compactly stacked and synergistically coupled. This work distinguishes itself by integrating two distinct energy transduction mechanisms within a compact architecture, enabling complementary energy conversion and improved energy utilization efficiency. Experimental results show that both the EMG and TENG units achieve optimal performance at an excitation frequency of about 20 Hz. At an acceleration level of 5 G, the EMG unit delivers a maximum output power of 521.43 mW with a low-voltage, high-current output, while the TENG unit produces a peak power of 128.41 mW with high-voltage, low-current characteristics. To efficiently regulate the pulsed high-voltage output of the TENG, a dedicated power management circuit comprising a gas discharge tube is employed, significantly enhancing the utilization efficiency of high-voltage pulses. By leveraging these complementary characteristics, the hybrid system exhibits accelerated capacitor charging and improved overall energy harvesting efficiency. Finally, a fully self-powered wireless sensing system is developed and demonstrated, achieving stable sensing and wireless data transmission without any external power supply. The integration of compact hybrid integration, effective energy management, and system-level validation highlights the novelty and practical applicability of the proposed VI-HVEH, providing a scalable solution for autonomous wireless monitoring in vibration-rich environments.