Plant protein-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), and fabrication method and use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11973442-B2
Application number	US-201917622822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2019
Priority date	Jun 28, 2019
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

A plant protein-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), and a fabrication method and use thereof are provided. The TENG includes a triboelectric negative layer and a protein film, where the protein film and the triboelectric negative layer are stacked surface-to-surface; and an electrode is adhered to or plated on a back surface of each of the protein film and the triboelectric negative layer, or only a back surface of either of the protein film and the triboelectric negative layer is provided with a grounded electrode. A protein powder is dissolved in water or an ethanol aqueous solution, then a plasticizing agent is added, and the protein is denatured through thermal treatment to obtain an extended structure required for film formation; and the solvent is evaporated, and a resulting product is dried to obtain the protein film with uniform texture and excellent transparency and flexibility. The TENG is used in crop growth.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plant protein-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), comprising a triboelectric negative layer and a plant protein film, wherein the plant protein film and the triboelectric negative layer are stacked in a surface-to-surface manner; and an electrode is adhered to or plated on a back surface of each of the plant protein film and the triboelectric negative layer, or the back surface of either of the plant protein film and the triboelectric negative layer is provided with a grounded electrode, wherein the triboelectric negative layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyimide (PI), silicone rubber, and polylactic acid (PLA).

2. The plant protein-based TENG according to claim 1 , wherein the plant protein film is made by the following method: dissolving a protein powder in water or an ethanol aqueous solution, adding a plasticizing agent, and denaturing the protein through thermal treatment to obtain an extended structure required for film formation; and evaporating a solvent, and drying to obtain the plant protein film with uniform texture and excellent transparency and flexibility.

3. A method of using a plant protein-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) in crop growth, the plant protein-based TENG comprising a triboelectric negative layer and a plant protein film, wherein the plant protein film and the triboelectric negative layer are stacked in a surface-to-surface manner; and an electrode is adhered to or plated on a back surface of each of the plant protein film and the triboelectric negative layer, or the back surface of either of the plant protein film and the triboelectric negative layer is provided with a grounded electrode, the method comprising:
placing the plant protein-based TENG on a soil, with the plant protein film contacting the soil; and
applying a force to the plant protein-based TENG to make the triboelectric negative layer approach, leave, or slip relative to the plant protein film, to generate an electric field to promote crop growth.

4. A fabrication method of a plant protein-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), comprising:
step 1) preparation of a plant protein film: dissolving a protein powder in water or an ethanol aqueous solution, adding a plasticizing agent, and denaturing the protein through thermal treatment to obtain an extended structure required for film formation; evaporating the solvent, and drying to obtain the plant protein film with uniform texture and excellent transparency and flexibility;
step 2) stacking the plant protein film and a triboelectric negative layer in a surface-to-surface manner; and
step 3) adhering or plating an electrode on a back surface of each of the plant protein film and the triboelectric negative layer, or arranging a grounded electrode on the back surface of either of the plant protein film and the triboelectric negative layer, wherein the protein powder is a powder of rice protein, peanut protein isolate (PPI), soy protein isolate (SPI), glutenin, or zein.

5. The fabrication method of a plant protein-based TENG according to claim 4 , wherein the plasticizing agent is a polyol, comprising glycerin, propylene glycol (PG), ethylene glycol, sorbitol, and polyethylene glycol (PEG).

6. The fabrication method of a plant protein-based TENG according to claim 4 , wherein the triboelectric negative layer is made of a material selected from the group consisting of PTFE, PDMS, PVC, PI, silicone rubber, and PLA.

7. The fabrication method of a plant protein-based TENG according to claim 4 , wherein step 1) specifically comprises:
dispersing the protein powder in the water or the ethanol aqueous solution with a concentration of 70% to 90% to prepare a protein solution, wherein a mass fraction of the protein is 1% to 10% w/w;
adding the plasticizing agent at a mass 10% to 60% of a mass of the protein to the protein solution;
stirring a resulting mixture in a 60° C. to 95° C. water bath for 30 min to 60 min to conduct protein denaturation, and degassing under vacuum for 10 min; and
pouring a resulting solution into a mold, and placing the mold in an oven to conduct evaporation drying at 30° C. to 70° C.

8. The fabrication method of a plant protein-based TENG according to claim 4 , wherein the protein is rice protein, PPI, SPI, or glutenin; and step 1) specifically comprises:
mixing a protein with glycerin in a deionized water solution, magnetically stirring a resulting mixture, and adjusting a pH of a resulting protein solution to 12 with a 1 M sodium hydroxide solution; and
heating and stirring the resulting protein solution at 65° C. for 30 min, and degassing under vacuum for 10 min to remove bubbles.

9. The fabrication method of a plant protein-based TENG according to claim 4 , wherein the protein is zein; and step 1) specifically comprises:
dissolving zein and glycerin in the ethanol aqueous solution with a mass concentration of 70%,
directly heating and stirring a resulting protein solution at 65° C. for 30 min, and
degassing under vacuum for 10 min.

Assignees

• Univ Zhejiang

Inventors

• Ping Jianfeng
• Jiang Chengmei
• Ying Yibin

Classifications

• H02N1/04 Primary

  Friction generators · CPC title

• A61N1/04

  Electrodes {(electrosurgical electrodes A61B18/14)} · CPC title

• C08J5/18

  Manufacture of films or sheets · CPC title

• A61N1/378

  Electrical supply · CPC title