Intelligent mobility: Unveiling triboelectric nanogenerator-powered intelligent tire realization

Energy harvesting and sensing devices utilizing triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) are advancing rapidly and offer significant potential for a wide range of future applications. Simultaneously, the integration of sensors into intelligent tires enables precise estimation of tire conditions, thereby enhancing vehicle intelligence. As the concept of intelligent tires has long intrigued researchers, the pursuit of a cost-effective, self-powered, and easily integrated sensor remained unexplored until the emergence of TENGs. The main research objectives of this paper are: (1) to test and optimize the structure of TENG and design a sandwich-type TENG (St-TENG), which can be used as a tire sensor; (2) to integrate St-TENG into the tire, establish the mapping relationship between St-TENG signal and tire load, and achieve effective estimation of tire load. The St-TENG was successfully prepared using several easily available and inexpensive materials, and it has robust performance in the confined and harsh environment inside the tire. The methodology proposed herein charts a novel path for TENG and intelligent tire development, paving the way for the evolution of intelligent tire systems in the foreseeable future.