Power management for triboelectric and electrostatic generators enabling continuous and stable power delivery

Abstract

Abstract Power management is essential for effectively utilizing energy harvested from triboelectric and electrostatic generators. However, current strategies suffer from control and conversion challenges such as inefficient switch designs and load-dependent outputs, resulting in substantial performance degradation when powering practical electronics. Here, we present an efficient and universal power management strategy to improve energy utilization. It features a self-powered peak-detection switch for enhancing energy harvesting, a voltage elevation strategy to improve AC–DC conversion, and an energy regulation module that dynamically allocates the harvested energy to ensure a continuous and stable power supply. Benefiting from the switch’s power-boosting mechanism, the output power after power management reaches 1.08 times the generator’s optimal AC output. This enables the reliable operation of a 20 dBm LoRa node powered by a 55-mm-radius electret generator at 36 rpm. This work facilitates the integration of triboelectric and electrostatic generators into practical electronic systems.