Triboelectric energy harvesters have demonstrated a great potential as main contributors to solving the current energy crisis and have attracted extensive interest due to their potential to power applications such as wireless sensors and Internet of Things devices. The performance of triboelectric nanogenerators is strongly dependent of the device structure, triboelectric material selection, contact surface morphology and materials doping/functionalization. Our project aims to produce and optimize triboelectric nanogenerators by the systematic characterization and improvement of triboelectric materials. To move a step forward in this field, we propose to follow the strategy of functionalizing and texturing the contact surfaces of triboelectric materials with nanoparticles, different conductive carbon materials and micro/nano-structure molds, to further improve electrical outputs. Simultaneously, systematic tests will be performed to characterize the triboelectric performance. Concerning technological applications, triboelectric energy harvesters have being envisage to be applied in several fields ranging from human activities and water motion. We will seize the opportunities available in the field of human walking by developing a self-powered pressure sensor to infer walking comfort and feet positioning. Another research field that we will follow for large scale applications will be the development of a prototype able to convert ocean wave energy into useful electrical power.
Cátia Rodrigues completed her Master degree in Physical Engineering at the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the Faculty of Science of University of Porto in 2015. During her Master thesis, she engaged a novel research topic at FCUP on triboelectric nanogenerators. After completing her MSc, she was involved in a research project between the Institute of Physics of Materials of the University of Porto (IFIMUP) and LIPOR – Serviço Intermunicipalizado de Gestão de Resíduos do Grande Porto from November 2015 to May 2016. During this period, she designed, prototyped and tested an innovative energy harvesting platform based on thermoelectric materials to be implemented at LIPOR. She was then involved in a partnership with inanoEnergy to develop novel materials and technologies for energy harvesting applications, including doped and textured materials for high power triboelectric applications. She is now starting her PhD in Physics on “High Output Triboelectric Nanogenerators: Characterization, Optimization and Novel Applications"
Joao Ventura obtained his PhD in Physics by the University of Porto (UP) in 2006. Until 2008, he was a postdoctoral research associate at the Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering – Microsystems and Nanotechnology (INESC-MN) and the Institute of Physics of Materials of the University of Porto (IFIMUP), working on micro-fabrication, spintronic nanomaterials and devices. In 2008, he became an Assistant Researcher at IFIMUP, where he is now Vice-President and group leader. In 2012, he was elected President of IFIMUP and appointed member of the Executive Commission of the Associate Laboratory, Institute of Nanosciencies and Nanotechnologies (IN). As President, one of his main accomplishments was the implementation of the “Strengthening and Requalification of the Infrastructure for Micro/Nanofabrication of the University of Porto” project led by the UP Rectorate (1.7 M€) in 2012-2014 that led to the construction of a new 200 m2 ISO6/ISO7 clean room now serving the University of Porto: the Micro- and Nano-Fabrication Unit of the University of Porto (CEMUP-MNTEC). Since then, he has been appointed Vice-Director of CEMUP-MNTEC. His research is placed at the interface between materials and devices in a broad range of energy harvesting and nano-electronic applications, currently focusing on advanced triboelectric nanogenerators and memristive-based neuromorphic applications. Since 2016 he has been developing the Energy Harvesting research area of IFIMUP in the field of triboelectric nanogenerators, together with different industrial partners such as Repsol (Spain) and Waters of Porto, the Oporto waters utility company.
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