Bringing triboelectric nanogenerators into classrooms

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), which capture and convert mechanical movement into electricity, have manifold potential applications. This emerging technology may one day power smartphones, wearable medical devices, environmental monitoring equipment, and other small electronic devices. On a larger scale, they could even be embedded into roadways to convert mechanical energy from passing vehicles into electrical power. TENGs have already been shown to function as microphones and loudspeakers, demonstrating their versatility.

However, these cutting-edge devices are more accessible than they may seem. In an effort to encourage physics teachers to include TENGs in their classrooms and curriculums, Christopher Chiaverina introduced these devices and provided step-by-step instructions about how to easily build them with common household supplies: paper, aluminum foil, transparent packing tape, and two wire leads.

“I was motivated to demonstrate that students can engage directly with an emerging technology using the simplest of materials, gaining hands-on experience with devices that feel both high-tech and immediately approachable,” Chiaverina said.

A TENG sandwiches two dissimilar materials between conductors and takes advantage of the triboelectric effect, in which materials transfer electric charge between each other after coming into contact.

“Constructing these intriguing devices offers countless opportunities for exploration and experimentation, making them ideal STEM projects,” he said. “TENGs demonstrate that physics is dynamic, evolving, and meaningful instead of irrelevant or outdated.”

As a demonstration, lab activity, or individual project, Chiaverina thinks TENGs could be used to teach students about concepts from different fields, including physics, electronics, and environmental science.

“Ultimately, I want this paper to serve as a link between the research community and the classroom,” Chiaverina said. “TENGs uniquely bridge that divide.”

Source: “DIY triboelectric nanogenerator: An all-in-one generator, microphone, and loudspeaker,” by Christopher John Chiaverina, The Physics Teacher (2026). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0258112 .