Thin and flexible self-powered vibration transducer employing triboelectric nanogeneration

A vibration transducer for sensing vibrations, comprising:

• (a) a first flexible triboelectric member, including a first triboelectric layer having a first side, an opposite second side and a peripheral edge, the first triboelectric layer including a material being on a first position on a triboelectric series, the first flexible triboelectric member also including a conductive layer deposited on the second side thereof;
• (b) a second flexible triboelectric member, including a second triboelectric layer having a first side, an opposite second side and a peripheral edge, the second triboelectric layer including a material being on a second position on the triboelectric series that is different from the first position on the triboelectric series, the second triboelectric member adjacent to the first flexible triboelectric member so that the second side of the second triboelectric layer faces the first side of the first triboelectric layer and is spaced apart therefrom at a distance that results in partial contact between the first triboelectric layer and the second triboelectric layer when the vibrations impinge on the vibration transducer while at rest;
• (c) at least one of the first flexible triboelectric member and the second flexible triboelectric member defining an array of a plurality of holes passing therethrough;
• (d) a plurality of attachment points affixing the first triboelectric member to the second triboelectric member, at least a first set of the attachment points disposed along a periphery of the vibration transducer and at least one attachment point disposed interior to the periphery of the vibration transducer;
• (e) a first electrode electrically coupled to the first triboelectric member;
• and
• (f) a second electrode electrically coupled to the second triboelectric member, wherein when the first triboelectric member comes into and out of contact with the second triboelectric member as a result of the vibrations, a triboelectric potential difference having a variable intensity corresponding to the vibrations can be sensed between the first electrode and the second electrode.