Work

Wave-adaptive floating platform for hybrid triboelectric-electromagnetic energy harvesting toward marine IoT systems

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Ocean wave energy harvesting based on triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) holds great promise, yet the industrial application necessitates advancements in manufacturing and environmental adaptability. Here, a triboelectric-electromagnetic hybrid generator designed for an energy-harvesting floating bridge (EB-TEMG) is proposed. The TENG component is fabricated using fully encapsulated 3D printing, while the integrated electromagnetic generator (EMG) component efficiently harvests mechanical energy during device operation. Furthermore, a tuned float whose length is matched to the dominant wavelength maximizes pitch motion for efficient wave energy capture. Multiple EB-TEMG units can be interconnected via hinges to form an energy-harvesting floating bridge, offering a scalable alternative to meter-scale device designs while seamlessly integrating infrastructure with clean energy harvesting. The device exhibits excellent output performance across a broad frequency range (0.5–2 Hz), with peak powers of 10.91 mW (TENG component) and 51.32 mW (1 coil in EMG component). Additionally, the device shows only a 6% decay in the output of the TENG component after 324,000 cycles in a linear motor. The EB-TEMG can not only power small electronics but also enable continuous real-time wireless transmission of marine data, thereby contributing to the further development of Marine Internet of Things (IoT) systems.

Source: Chemical Engineering Journal

DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2026.181396