A High-Humidity Resistance Flexible Tribovoltaic Smart Textile for Sign Language and Athletic Status Recognition

Abstract

Smart textiles demonstrate transformative potential for robotics and wearable applications, but their operational stability remains critically dependent on environmental conditions. Herein, we proposed a high-humidity resistance flexible knitted tribovoltaic smart textile (TST), which was prepared of Al wire and poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrene sulfonate), and polyethylene glycol-based conductive cotton. Compared to traditional triboelectric textile that suffer from severe electrical output degradation or even signal failure in humid environments, the TST achieves advancement in electromechanical stability at high humidity. Under extreme conditions (85% RH), the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of TST are 0.88 V and 8.12 μA, exhibiting exceptional moisture resistance. Attaching to human joints (wrists, knees, fingers, etc.), the TST can effectively monitor the movement state of the human body. By integrating it with machine learning technology, the recognition and sensing of sign language gestures can be realized, whose recognition accuracy of eight different sign language gestures can reach 98.75%. This work demonstrates the application potential of tribovoltaic wearable electronic skin in fields such as motion monitoring and robotics.

Graphical Abstract

The application and prospect of flexible smart textile in the fields of wearable devices and E-skin.

Keywords

Smart textile / Tribovoltaic effect / PEG doped / Sign language recognition / High-humidity resistance

References

[1] Guo S, Patel S, Wang J, Yu Z, Qu H, Zhang S, Yu K, Liu S, Koh JJ, Koh XQ. Self-powered green energy–harvesting and sensing interfaces based on hygroscopic gel and water-locking effects. Sci Adv, 2025, 11 eadw5991

[2] Guo S, Zhang S, Li H, Liu S, Koh JJ, Zhou M, Sun Z, Liu Y, Qu H, Yu Z. Precisely manipulating polymer chain interactions for multifunctional hydrogels. Matter, 2025

[3] Guo S, Zhang Y, Yu Z, Dai M, Liu X, Wang H, Liu S, Koh JJ, Sun W, Feng Y. Leaf-based energy harvesting and storage utilizing hygroscopic iron hydrogel for continuous power generation. Nat Commun, 2025, 16 5267

[4] Xiong J, Chen J, Lee PS. Functional fibers and fabrics for soft robotics, wearables, and human–robot interface. Adv Mater, 2021, 33 2002640

[5] Wang H, Zhang Y, Liang X, Zhang Y. Smart fibers and textiles for personal health management. ACS Nano, 2021, 15 12497

[6] Cho S, Chang T, Yu T, Lee CH. Smart electronic textiles for wearable sensing and display. Biosensors, 2022, 12: 222

[7] Zhao Y, Guo X, Sun H, Tao L. Recent advances in flexible wearable technology: from textile fibers to devices. Chem Rec, 2024, 24 e202300361

[8] Fan F-R, Tian Z-Q, Wang ZL. Flexible triboelectric generator. Nano Energy, 2012, 1 328

[9] Wang S, Lin L, Wang ZL. Nanoscale triboelectric-effect-enabled energy conversion for sustainably powering portable electronics. Nano Lett, 2012, 12 6339

[10] Li S, Zhong Q, Zhong J, Cheng X, Wang B, Hu B, Zhou J. Cloth-based power shirt for wearable energy harvesting and clothes ornamentation. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2015, 7 14912

[11] Dong K, Peng X, An J, Wang AC, Luo J, Sun B, Wang J, Wang ZL. Shape adaptable and highly resilient 3D braided triboelectric nanogenerators as e-textiles for power and sensing. Nat Commun, 2020, 11 2868

[12] Dong K, Peng X, Cheng R, Ning C, Jiang Y, Zhang Y, Wang ZL. Advances in high‐performance autonomous energy and self‐powered sensing textiles with novel 3D fabric structures. Adv Mater, 2022, 34 2109355

[13] Wu R, Liu S, Lin Z, Zhu S, Ma L, Wang ZL. Industrial fabrication of 3D braided stretchable hierarchical interlocked fancy‐yarn triboelectric nanogenerator for self‐powered smart fitness system. Adv Energy Mater, 2022, 12 2201288

[14] Peng X, Dong K, Ye C, Jiang Y, Zhai S, Cheng R, Liu D, Gao X, Wang J, Wang ZL. A breathable, biodegradable, antibacterial, and self-powered electronic skin based on all-nanofiber triboelectric nanogenerators. Sci Adv, 2020, 6 eaba9624

[15] Yu A, Pu X, Wen R, Liu M, Zhou T, Zhang K, Zhang Y, Zhai J, Hu W, Wang ZL. Core–shell-yarn-based triboelectric nanogenerator textiles as power cloths. ACS Nano, 2017, 11 12764

[16] Dong K, Deng J, Ding W, Wang AC, Wang P, Cheng C, Wang YC, Jin L, Gu B, Sun B. Versatile core–sheath yarn for sustainable biomechanical energy harvesting and real‐time human‐interactive sensing. Adv Energy Mater, 2018, 8 1801114

[17] Zhong J, Chen R, Shan T, Peng F, Qiu M, Sun Z, Ren K, Ning C, Dai K, Zheng G. Continuous fabrication of core-sheath fiber for strain sensing and self-powered application. Nano Energy, 2023, 118 108950

[18] Hu Y, Wang X, Li H, Li H, Li Z. Effect of humidity on tribological properties and electrification performance of sliding-mode triboelectric nanogenerator. Nano Energy, 2020, 71 104640

[19] Panda S, Jeong H, Hajra S, Rajaitha PM, Hong S, Kim HJ. Biocompatible polydopamine based triboelectric nanogenerator for humidity sensing. Sens Actuators B Chem, 2023, 394 134384

[20] Somkuwar VU, Garg H, Maurya SK, Kumar B. Influence of relative humidity and temperature on the performance of knitted textile triboelectric nanogenerator. ACS Appl Electron Mater, 2024, 6 931

[21] Yin X, Chen Z, Chen H, Wang Q, Chen Q, Wang C, Ye C. Optimization strategy of triboelectric nanogenerators for high humidity environment service performance. EcoMat, 2024, 6 e12493

[22] Liu J, Goswami A, Jiang K, Khan F, Kim S, McGee R, Li Z, Hu Z, Lee J, Thundat T. Direct-current triboelectricity generation by a sliding Schottky nanocontact on MoS2 multilayers. Nat Nanotechnol, 2018, 13 112

[23] Lin S, Lu Y, Feng S, Hao Z, Yan Y. A high current density direct‐current generator based on a moving van der Waals Schottky diode. Adv Mater, 2019, 31 1804398

[24] Lu Y, Hao Z, Feng S, Shen R, Yan Y, Lin S. Direct-current generator based on dynamic PN junctions with the designed voltage output. iScience, 2019, 22: 58-69

[25] Wang Z, Zhang Z, Chen Y, Gong L, Dong S, Zhou H, Lin Y, Lv Y, Liu G, Zhang C. Achieving an ultrahigh direct-current voltage of 130 V by semiconductor heterojunction power generation based on the tribovoltaic effect. Energy Environ Sci, 2022, 15: 2366

[26] Wang M, Yang J, Liu S, Meng Y, Qin Y, Li X. Metal‐Gallium arsenide based tribovoltaic nanogenerators and its application for high‐precision self‐powered displacement sensors. Adv Mater Technol, 2023, 8 2200677

[27] Meng J, Guo ZH, Pan C, Wang L, Chang C, Li L, Pu X, Wang ZL. Flexible textile direct-current generator based on the tribovoltaic effect at dynamic metal-semiconducting polymer interfaces. ACS Energy Lett, 2021, 6: 2442

[28] Deng P, Wang Y, Yang R, He Z, Tan Y, Chen Z, Liu J, Li T. Self‐powered smart textile based on dynamic Schottky diode for human‐machine interactions. Adv Sci, 2023, 10 2207298

[29] You Z, Wang S, Li Z, Zou Y, Lu T, Wang F, Hu B, Wang X, Li L, Fang W. High current output direct-current triboelectric nanogenerator based on organic semiconductor heterojunction. Nano Energy, 2022, 91 106667

[30] Yang R, Benner M, Guo Z, Zhou C, Liu J. High‐performance flexible Schottky DC generator via metal/conducting polymer sliding contacts. Adv Funct Mater, 2021, 31 2103132

[31] Fan B, Liu G, Dai Y, Dong Z, Luan R, Gong L, Zhang Z, Wang ZL, Zhang C. A wearable DC tribovoltaic power textile woven by P/N-type organic semiconductor fibers. Energy Environ Sci, 2024, 17: 8621

[32] Liu G, Fan B, Qi Y, Han K, Cao J, Fu X, Wang Z, Bu T, Zeng J, Dong S. Ultrahigh-current-density tribovoltaic nanogenerators based on hydrogen bond-activated flexible organic semiconductor textiles. ACS Nano, 2025, 19: 6771

[33] Ouyang J, Xu Q, Chu C-W, Yang Y, Li G, Shinar J. On the mechanism of conductivity enhancement in poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrene sulfonate) film through solvent treatment. Polymer, 2004, 45: 8443

[34] Li P, Sun K, Ouyang J. Stretchable and conductive polymer films prepared by solution blending. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 2015, 7: 18415

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(52450006)

Beijing Natural Science Foundation(L247020)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Donghua University, Shanghai, China