Investigation of Triboelectric Charge Generation During Adhesive Peeling
Open Access
- Author:
- Chekan, Sarah
- Area of Honors:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Zoubeida Ounaies, Thesis Supervisor
Daniel Humberto Cortes Correales, Thesis Honors Advisor
Xiaoyue Zhao, Thesis Supervisor - Keywords:
- Triboelectricity
Mechanics
Adhesive Peeling - Abstract:
- Triboelectricity is a commonly experienced natural phenomenon, yet its underlying mechanisms remain ambiguous amongst the scientific community. The inherently complex nature of triboelectricity necessitates an interdisciplinary approach to its study, integrating mechanics, material science, physics, and chemistry. Gaining a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of triboelectricity and maximizing the predictability of charge generation will lead to the development of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). TENGs offer a sustainable method of powering integrated system sensors, replacing the traditional battery or capacitor that needs to be recharged or replaced after a limited time. The goal of this thesis is to investigate the mechanics of triboelectric charge generation, specifically the relationship between the separation speed of two surfaces and the resulting charge magnitude. Through imposing the well-studied and relatively simple mechanics of peeling onto a triboelectric system and through automating the peeling process to maximize the repeatability of experimental trials, the relationship between separation speed and charge generation is explored. Four experimental methods are developed to achieve the research goals, including manual and automatic procedures for both the measurement of the peel angle and generated charge. The peel angle, a key variable in all fundamental peeling equations and traditional peel test configurations, is measured through recording the unrolling of a spool of Scotch tape via manual and automatic means and measuring key angles throughout the trial in video post processing. Charge measurements are collected by an electrometer as a Scotch tape-copper tape composite is unpeeled manually and automatically. These experimental set ups are successfully modeled on traditional peel test configurations, accomplishing the objective of imposing simple mechanics onto a triboelectric system. While the focus on peeling mechanics simplified the system, the inherent complexity of adhesive properties materializes in the experimental results, specifically the adhesive stick-slip regime, adding a different layer of complexity. Experimental methods for both angle and charge that employed slower peel speeds and uniform test specimen proved to yield the most consistent and repeatable results; they were even superior to automating the process. Through developing more consistent methods of fabricating test specimen, integrating a motor controller into the system, investigating the adhesive properties of the test specimen, and integrating purposeful instabilities into the peeling process, more progress can be made in the exploration of the relationship between separation speed and triboelectric charge generation in the future.