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Computational Study of Triboelectric Generator Design Rhode Island College Digital Commons @ RIC Honors Projects Overview Honors Projects 2020 Computational Study of Triboelectric Generator Design Giovanni Barbosa Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.ric.edu/honors_projects COMPUTATIONAL STUDY OF TRIBOELECTRIC GENERATOR DESIGN By Giovannia Barbosa An Honors Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Honors In The Department of Physical Sciences Faculty of Arts and Sciences Rhode Island College 2020 2 Abstract: As the world population increases and technology becomes accessible to more people, there is an increased demand for energy. Researchers are seeking innovative forms of harvesting sustainable energy with minimal environmental impact. The triboelectric effect is a form of contact electrification in which a charge is generated after two materials are separated. In 2012, the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) emerged as a new flexible power source which can extract energy from small ambient movements. In this study, we use a software tool known as COMSOL to conduct Finite Element Analysis of Triboelectric Generators (TEGs). One aspect we study is the enhancement of TEG efficiency by the inclusion of high dielectric constant (high-k) materials. We show that the orientation of inclusions matter: high-k dielectric inclusions with a vertical orientation display greater overall TEG performance in comparison to those with a horizontal alignment. A design where a piezoelectric material is included in the triboelectric polymer is also explored. Although our preliminary results show that piezo inclusions modify the response of TEGs, more work is needed before we find with an optimal design. 3 Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….4 1.1 Energy for the future………………………………………………………………...4 1.2 Triboelectric generators (TEG)……………………………………………………...5 Chapter 2: Theory and computation………………………………………………………………..6 2.1 Electrostatic Principles………………………………………………………………6 2.2 Finite Element Analysis (FEA)……………………………………………………...8 2.3 COMSOL for FEA…………………………………………………………………..8 2.4 TEG Model as a Capacitor…………………………………………………………..9 2.5 Factors which enhance TEG efficiency…………………………………………….11 Chapter 3: Results and Discussion………………………………………………………………..14 3.1 Parametric Study of the effect of high-k Inclusions………………………………...14 3.2 Effect of Orientation of high-k Inclusions…………………………………………..15 3.3 3D simulations in COMSOL………………………………………………………..20 3.4 Effect of Surface Patterning in TEGs……………………………………………….21 3.5 Piezo-tribo Hybrid Design…………………………………………………………..24 Chapter 4: Summary and Future Work…………………………………………………………...28 4.1 Summary…………………………………………………………………………...28 4.2 Understanding piezo-tribo hybrid devices…………………………………………28 4.3 Time dependent studies…………………………………………………………….29 Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………………….30 References………………………………………………………………………………………...31 4 Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 Energy for the future The use of fossil fuels for energy is exhaustible and contributes to carbon dioxide emissions. In the near future, we may reach a point where the demand for energy outstrips supply. Therefore, researchers have been seeking new sources of renewable and sustainable energy that have minimal impact on the environment. Advancement in wind and solar technologies have led to successful large-scale implementations (1-3). There are other forms of renewable energy sources such as ocean waves which have unexplored potential. Figure 1. Renewable energy harvesting methods growth from 2011-2017. Source: IRENA Another field whose energy demands are going to increase is personal electronics. Conventional power supplies do not always meet the requirements of portability, miniaturization, functionality, and self-sustainability. Personal devices are currently powered by batteries which are not scalable, are hazardous to the environment and are ultimately not sustainable. Therefore, other forms of technology which harvest energy from the environment and are self-sufficient for powering nano/microsystems is a new field of study (4-5). 5 !.2 Triboelectric Generators (TEG) Triboelectrification is the process in which an electrical charge is generated after different materials are separated from contact. It follows the same principle as static electricity and in fact, most modern-day static electricity is triboelectric. Traditional macroscale triboelectric generators have been created since the 19th century, wherein the device generated a high voltage after contact and separation (6). While it has been known for many years, applications in modern day technology have been limited until now because the strength of the charges differ so greatly depending on the materials being used, making the triboelectric effect very unpredictable and hazardous (7). Devices which utilize the principle of triboelectrification to produce usable electricity, Triboelectric Generators (TEGs), were invented in 2012 (8). The conversion from mechanical energy into electricity is due to the coupling effects between contact triboelectrification caused by sliding motion and electrostatic induction caused by separation of charged interfaces (7). Figure 2 showcases the triboelectric effect where a material may either become positively or negatively charged after contact. In a circuit condition maximum voltage is achieved at maximum separation (5,7-8). Figure 2. Simple schematic of the triboelectric effect. Fabrication of the TEG is relatively simple, where low-cost and non-toxic materials can be utilized. Efficient TEGs with high power densities can be utilized in self-powered sensors and other electronics (8). Moreover, it can also be effectively used for harvesting energy from ocean waves for the prospect of large-scale blue energy. 6 CHAPTER 2: Theory and Computation 2.1 Electrostatic principles Electrostatics is the field which studies stationary electrical charges. A boundary value problem is a differential equation or a system of differential equations in which a variable is solved over a domain. The principles relevant to our study include Gauss’ Law which is a part of Maxwell’s Equations. Maxwell's equations allow us to relate electric and magnetic fields with total charge and current (9). Gauss' law states that the electric flux (ɸ) outside of any closed surface is equal to the total charge (Q) that is enclosed divided by the relative permittivity (Ԑ) (figure 3). Charges are the source and sinks of the electric field, therefore by knowing the field then we know the force that a charge distribution can exert on another charge. In fact, if a charge distribution has a high degree of symmetry, then Gauss' law alone can be used to determine the magnitude of the electric field and derive the expression for the Coulomb force (9-10). Figure 3. Gauss’ Law states that the electric flux can be found by finding the total enclosed charge (Q) and the relative permittivity of the material (Ԑ). Source: http://hyperphysics.phy- astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/gaulaw.html The first two of Maxwell's equations (Gauss’ Law and Faraday’s Law) will be able to calculate the electric field (magnitude and direction) due to any static charge distribution and 7 vice versa. Table 1 showcases the boundary conditions that can be applied in computational software based on these equations: Equation Name Differential Form Integral Form Boundary Condition All field lines start The total flux through a The surface charge at a material interface equals Gauss's law and end on closed surface equals the jump in the normal component of the charges. its enclosed charge. displacement field. Faraday's law The electric field The electric field is Across a material interface, the tangential (electrostatics) is irrotational. conservative. component of the electric field is continuous. Table 1. The laws of electrostatics Source: COMSOL Multiphysics Cyclopedia Ultimately, the three main quantities which can be calculated in an electrostatics problem based on the mentioned laws are source charge distribution (ρ), electric field (E), and electric potential (V.) The six equations in Figure 4 can be used to find one of the main quantities when given the other two. Figure 4. Interrelating equations used to solve boundary problems based on Gauss’ Law. Source: “Introduction to Electrodynamics” Fourth Edition, David J. Griffiths, 2017 8 2.2 Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is an approximation method used to solve differential equations over a specific region of space (domain). It can be useful in a wide range of fields such as structural mechanics, electrodynamics, heat transfer and more (11). Engineers utilize this method in order to reduce the number of physical prototypes and experiments and optimize components in their design phase to develop better products faster. A large domain is broken down into smaller finite elements connected via nodes by a procedure called meshing (12). The behavior of each node is solved using a matrix equation, written according to electrostatic governing equations and boundary conditions. Once the solutions are known for all the nodes, the behavior in-between the nodes is approximated by polynomials. Combining the individual results yields the result of the structure (12-13). 2.3 COMSOL for FEA COMSOL is a commercial software package used to perform FEA. The electrostatic study module in COMSOL is useful when computing electrostatic forces and fields. Figure 5 illustrates the procedural steps involved in pre-processing, study, and post-processing
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