Strong, flexible and robust aramid nanofibers-based textile-triboelectric nanogenerators for high temperature escape monitoring and multifunctional applications

Thermally stable and workable triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are vital and highly efficient in searching and rescuing survivors. They serve as an effective alternative to fire alarms due to their self-powered monitoring of the movements at the fire scenes. However, TENGs are limited in complex environments for their unfavorable strength, flexibility, and robustness. In this work, strong, flexible, and robust plasma-treated aramid nanofiber-based (p-ANF-based) textiles were obtained by performing surface treatment, deprotonation, wet spinning, and polymerization on their surface. The p-ANF-based textiles-TENGs (t-TENGs) showed excellent output performance (80 V, 20 μA) and work stability at high temperatures (120°C), which was up to 40% compared to room temperature and was caused by abundant amide bonds and thermal stability. More importantly, p-ANF-based t-TENGs could accurately transmit life statements and escape routes of survivors by accurately transmitting signals in high-temperature environments. At the same time, the acid, alkali, ultraviolet (UV), and heat deformation resistance of the p-ANF-based t-TENGs led to multiple functions of passive heating, temperature protection, Morse code transmission, and conduction. The p-ANF-based t-TENGs with high strength, high toughness, and robustness showed great potential in guiding rescuers to specify purposeful search and rescue plans and improve the efficiency of rescuing survivors in fire scenes.