Self-Powered Intrusion Detecting System Using a Spray-Paint Coating Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator

With the global population increasing, there is a growing demand for energy, and the importance of renewable and carbon-free energy sources is increased. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have attracted attention for their ability to scavenge wasted mechanical enrgy. However, the conventional fabrication process of TENGs hinders their practical use. In this study, we utilize a low-cost and easy-to-use spray-paint to fabricate a spray paint-based TENG (SP-TENG) using a facile spray deposition method. We confirm the uniformity of the spray-paint coating and investigate the electrical outputs generated from the SP-TENG. The utilization of the sandpaper substrate in the SP-TENG resulted in a significant improvement of the electrical outputs, with an increase of 258% in open-circuit voltage and 236% in short-circuit current. As an application, a self-powered intrusion detecting system is demonstrated and the proposed system successfully detects the intrusion. These results suggest that the proposed SP-TENG can be utilized in various places where paint has been adopted in the near future.