Degradable Triboelectric Nanogenerators Based on Chitosan Fibers for Smart Sensing

Monitoring integrated features of human perception through electronic skins (e-skins) facilitates developing artificial intelligence. To date, some e-skins with good perception and adaptability have been widely used. However, the comfort, environmental protection, and antibacterial activity of these e-skins have not been adequately studied. In this study, we designed a sensitive, portable, biocompatible, and degradable e-skin for diverse mechanical power collection and respiratory status detection. A chitosan–poly(vinyl alcohol) (CS–PVA) nanofiber membrane prepared using electrostatic spinning was glued to a degradable magnesium electrode to prepare a degradable triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG). Because of the rough structure of the nanofiber, the peak power density of the degradable TENG reaches 37.5 mW·m–2 and the output voltage is 115 V. The degradable TENG can realize monitoring of joint movements and physiological signals, and it can be placed inside a mask to monitor human breathing by a self-powered manner. Additionally, the TENG can be degraded by soaking it in a degradation solution (acetic acid) for 3 days. These properties will help improve greener and more valuable applications for e-skins in wearable devices and smart sensing.