Topological-Insulator Nanocomposite and Graphite-Like Tribo-Charge-Accumulating Fabric Enabling High-performance Non-Contact Stretchable and Textile-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators with Robust Charge Retention

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have revealed fascinating potential in multifaceted wearables. However, their reliance on physical contact and separation from human bodies presents drawbacks for efficient energy collection, especially over large areas. Herein, the first stretchable non-contact TENG textile is proposed using a topological insulator nanocomposite coating (triboelectric layer) and a graphite-like fabric (tribo-charges reservoir). This design encompasses the capture, transporting, and storage of tribo-charges, leading to enhanced device performance (452 V, 1.96 mA m⁻², and 179 mW m⁻²) and prolonged tribo-charges retention time (5000 min). During non-contact operation, the output remained at 382 V (318 µA m⁻²), 123 V (59 µA m⁻²), and 94 V (23 µA m⁻²) for separation distances of 0.1, 0.5, and 1 cm, respectively. Additionally, it exhibits excellent stretchability (>100% strain). Notably, its performance during non-contact operation and mechanical freedom surpasses those of previous reports, enabling both wearable non-contact biomechanical energy harvesting and deformable self-powered proximity sensing. Its applicability is comprehensively examined for non-contact harvesting of body-motion energy in garments and driving electronics. Finally, its application as a self-powered touchless interface for system-level applications is demonstrated. These results provide new directions for developing non-contact biomechanical energy harvesting and sensing, enabling advancements in autonomous wearables and Metaverse applications.