Multiple Recycled Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Smart Waste Management

The last decade has seen a mammoth rise in the progress of polymer electronic devices. This has in turn lead to the accumulation of non-degderable plastic material which has led to the degdration of the enviournment. Thus, for the sustainable progress of mankind, there is a need to recyle these polymer electronic devices. Although there has been reports on recycled nanogenerator, there is a need to develop nanogenerator which can be recylcled multiple times. A multiple recycled triboelectric nanogenerator (MRTENG) derived from mixed plastic waste has been fabricated to achieve an environmentally sustainable energy harvesting device with an increase in lifetime in an order of magnitude¹. The triboelectric layer is prepared from plastic waste using a novel material design in the presence of a compatibilizing agent derived from e-waste for high stability and mechanical performance. This increases the lifetime of the energy harvester for ten rounds of recycling. The current collector is extracted by high-temperature pyrolysis of segregated mixed plastic waste, depolymerized polyester, and multiple recycled triboelectric layer that acts as a conducting layer in the single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerator^2,3. The fabricated device shows high performance even after multiple rounds of recycling, hence providing a sustainable solution in reducing environmental pollution. The device is installed in smart dustbins for digitalizing waste management using machine learning. As a waste disposal sensor the MRTENG monitors filling of bins and and also identifies the type of waste disposed to alert and optimize the waste collection and segregation process, from the homes to the recycling industries.