Self-powered sensing platform based on triboelectric nanogenerators towards intelligent mining industry

Abstract Gold’s crucial role in economic and technological developments has driven the industry towards underground mining, with air quality concerns challenging workers’ safety. Currently, commercial solutions to assess air quality and safety in underground mines often suffer from low accuracy, hig...

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Main Authors: Lindong Liu, Yurui Shang, Andy Berbille, Morten Willatzen, Yuan Wang, Xunjia Li, Longyi Li, Xiongxin Luo, Jianwu Chen, Bin Yang, Cuifeng Du, Zhong Lin Wang, Laipan Zhu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-06-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60418-9
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author Lindong Liu
Yurui Shang
Andy Berbille
Morten Willatzen
Yuan Wang
Xunjia Li
Longyi Li
Xiongxin Luo
Jianwu Chen
Bin Yang
Cuifeng Du
Zhong Lin Wang
Laipan Zhu
author_facet Lindong Liu
Yurui Shang
Andy Berbille
Morten Willatzen
Yuan Wang
Xunjia Li
Longyi Li
Xiongxin Luo
Jianwu Chen
Bin Yang
Cuifeng Du
Zhong Lin Wang
Laipan Zhu
author_sort Lindong Liu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Gold’s crucial role in economic and technological developments has driven the industry towards underground mining, with air quality concerns challenging workers’ safety. Currently, commercial solutions to assess air quality and safety in underground mines often suffer from low accuracy, high installation and maintenance costs, without providing data on noxious gases. To address these limitations, we developed a triboelectric self-powered sensing-platform (TESS) employing two distinct triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) modules to achieve power generation and wind-speed sensing function, with an ultra-low starting wind speed (0.32 m s−1), capable of operating for up to 3 months in underground mining tunnels. Wind-sensing capabilities are accrued by a horizontal turbine based on non-contact TENGs. Meanwhile, the TESS is powered by a distinct array of TENGs that operates via a new working mode, balancing the advantages of contact-separation and free-standing modes. Assisted by an optimized self-driven power management system, the TESS attains a charging power density of 16.36 mW m−2; this power is delivered every 166 s to a sensor node (temperature, relative humidity, pressure, and concentrations of CO, NO2, NH3), a data processing unit, and a LoRa transmitter. This work represents a leap forward in developing robust, cost-effective, battery-free, and wireless TENG-based environmental sensing platforms.
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spelling doaj-art-7739578a68e2467ca5ebb2783b6f3b6c2025-08-20T02:05:13ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-06-0116111310.1038/s41467-025-60418-9Self-powered sensing platform based on triboelectric nanogenerators towards intelligent mining industryLindong Liu0Yurui Shang1Andy Berbille2Morten Willatzen3Yuan Wang4Xunjia Li5Longyi Li6Xiongxin Luo7Jianwu Chen8Bin Yang9Cuifeng Du10Zhong Lin Wang11Laipan Zhu12School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingBeijing Key Laboratory of Micro-nano Energy and Sensor, Center for High-Entropy Energy and Systems, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing Key Laboratory of Micro-nano Energy and Sensor, Center for High-Entropy Energy and Systems, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing Key Laboratory of Micro-nano Energy and Sensor, Center for High-Entropy Energy and Systems, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of SciencesSchool of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingBeijing Key Laboratory of Micro-nano Energy and Sensor, Center for High-Entropy Energy and Systems, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing Key Laboratory of Micro-nano Energy and Sensor, Center for High-Entropy Energy and Systems, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing Key Laboratory of Micro-nano Energy and Sensor, Center for High-Entropy Energy and Systems, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of SciencesSchool of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingSchool of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingSchool of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology BeijingBeijing Key Laboratory of Micro-nano Energy and Sensor, Center for High-Entropy Energy and Systems, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing Key Laboratory of Micro-nano Energy and Sensor, Center for High-Entropy Energy and Systems, Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Gold’s crucial role in economic and technological developments has driven the industry towards underground mining, with air quality concerns challenging workers’ safety. Currently, commercial solutions to assess air quality and safety in underground mines often suffer from low accuracy, high installation and maintenance costs, without providing data on noxious gases. To address these limitations, we developed a triboelectric self-powered sensing-platform (TESS) employing two distinct triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) modules to achieve power generation and wind-speed sensing function, with an ultra-low starting wind speed (0.32 m s−1), capable of operating for up to 3 months in underground mining tunnels. Wind-sensing capabilities are accrued by a horizontal turbine based on non-contact TENGs. Meanwhile, the TESS is powered by a distinct array of TENGs that operates via a new working mode, balancing the advantages of contact-separation and free-standing modes. Assisted by an optimized self-driven power management system, the TESS attains a charging power density of 16.36 mW m−2; this power is delivered every 166 s to a sensor node (temperature, relative humidity, pressure, and concentrations of CO, NO2, NH3), a data processing unit, and a LoRa transmitter. This work represents a leap forward in developing robust, cost-effective, battery-free, and wireless TENG-based environmental sensing platforms.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60418-9
spellingShingle Lindong Liu
Yurui Shang
Andy Berbille
Morten Willatzen
Yuan Wang
Xunjia Li
Longyi Li
Xiongxin Luo
Jianwu Chen
Bin Yang
Cuifeng Du
Zhong Lin Wang
Laipan Zhu
Self-powered sensing platform based on triboelectric nanogenerators towards intelligent mining industry
Nature Communications
title Self-powered sensing platform based on triboelectric nanogenerators towards intelligent mining industry
title_full Self-powered sensing platform based on triboelectric nanogenerators towards intelligent mining industry
title_fullStr Self-powered sensing platform based on triboelectric nanogenerators towards intelligent mining industry
title_full_unstemmed Self-powered sensing platform based on triboelectric nanogenerators towards intelligent mining industry
title_short Self-powered sensing platform based on triboelectric nanogenerators towards intelligent mining industry
title_sort self powered sensing platform based on triboelectric nanogenerators towards intelligent mining industry
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60418-9
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