A Mobile and Self-Powered Micro-Flow Pump Based on Triboelectricity Driven Electroosmosis.

Abstract

Electroosmotic pumps have been widely used in microfluidic systems. However, traditional high-voltage (HV)-sources are bulky in size and induce numerous accessional reactions, which largely reduce the system s portability and efficiency. Herein, a motion-controlled, highly efficient micro-flow pump based on triboelectricity driven electroosmosis is reported. Utilizing the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), a strong electric field can be formed between two electrodes in the microfluidic channel with an electric double layer, thus driving the controllable electroosmotic flow by biomechanical movements. The performance and operation mechanism of this triboelectric electroosmotic pump (TEOP) is systematically studied and analyzed using a basic free-standing mode TENG. The TEOP produces ≈600 nL min-1 micro-flow with a Joule heat down to 1.76 J cm-3 nL-1 compared with ≈50 nL min-1 and 8.12 J cm-3 nL-1 for an HV-source. The advantages of economy, efficiency, portability, and safety render the TEOP a more conducive option to achieve wider applications in motion-activated micro/nanofluidic transportation and manipulation.