Triboelectric effect to harness fluid flow energy

We are reporting energy scavenging from fluid flows inside tubular structures using triboelectric effects. Two separate designs of triboelectric generators are proposed. A tubular design that uses liquid-solid interaction mechanism for water, and freestanding flapping films design utilizing contact-separation mechanism for wind flow energies conversions. The developed generators exhibit capabilities to produces power from fluid motions through the tube. Osmotic water having conductivity of 2.05 +/- 0.05 mu S/cm provides higher triboelectric responses in comparison to tap water (conductivity of 322.0 +/- 2.0 mu S/cm) flow. An average power of 37.4 mu W for an osmotic water flow of 82.5 +/- 0.5 cm(3)/s was generated for two pairs of triboelectric generators. Under a wind flow of 8.2 +/- 0.1 m/s and using three pairs of generators an average power of 144.8 mu W was obtained across an optimum load resistance (R-L) of 7.6 M Omega.