Fabrication and Characterization of Self-powered Active Hydrogen Sensor based on Triboelectric Nanogenerator

In this study, triboelectric nanogenerator based self-powered active flexible hydrogen (H2) sensor (TEHS) has been investigated using a micropatterned PDMS and Pd nanoparticles coated vertical ZnO nanorods (Pd-ZnO NRs). Adsorption-desorption of H2 on the Pd-ZnO surface during contact electrification with the micropatterned PDMS film due to applied mechanical force was studied in terms of triboelectric outputs. In air, TEHS showed the peak-to-peak open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of around 5.2V and 80 nA, respectively, while the output voltages varied with different H2 gas concentrations. The output voltage and response of the sensor were found to be nearly 1.1V and 373% to 1 vol% ppm H2, respectively, and the response time was measured to be around 100sec. These results of the proposed approach suggest the possibility for developing a practical self-powered system for gas sensing applications.