Antibacterial and Soluble Paper-Based Skin-Attachable Human Motion Sensor Using Triboelectricity

The environmental pollution issues caused by plastic-based polymers have become serious concerns over the past few decades. Accordingly, the need for using green and ecofriendly polymers in triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is gradually increasing. In this research, the glycerol paper-based sodium lauroyl glutamate (SLG)-TENG with an antibacterial effect and also water and oil solubility has been successfully developed by a facile vacuum filtration method. Silver nanowire (AgNW) and carbon nanotube (CNT) layers were deposited by casting their respective dispersions in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) on SLG. During the fabrication process, concentrations of CNTs and AgNWs were varied from 0.35 to 0.5 wt % for CNTs, and from 0.05 to 0.3 wt % for AgNWs to determine the optimal concentration. From the electrical output measurements, it was observed that the CNT-based SLG-TENG showed a high open-circuit voltage (V oc) and short-circuit current (I sc) at 0.425 wt % while the AgNW-based SLG-TENG showed enhanced electrical properties at 0.15 wt %. A detailed explanation for the existence of the optimal point for CNTs and AgNW-based SLG-TENG is given by using the results of ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Furthermore, the antibacterial effect has been strongly proven from the consequences of bacteria cultivation on SLG. Due to these peculiar properties of SLG-TENG, we have tested its applicability as a skin-attachable sensor, writing sensor, water leakage sensor, and humidity sensor and discussed its results with supporting videos. This work gives new insights into the simple design of biodegradable and antibacterial TENG-based wearable sensors in real life.