Research Progress in Energy Harvesters and Self-Powered Sensors

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "A:Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 1183

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Aerospace Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, China
Interests: thermoelectric; flexible sensors; flexible electronics

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Guest Editor
School of Aerospace Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710126, China
Interests: nanotribology; energy harvesting; triboelectric nanogenerator; sensors for self-powered system; contact-electrification-based sensor technology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

With the rapid development of flexible electronics and micro–nano technologies, the demand for sustainable, independent, and maintenance-free sensor nodes has become increasingly urgent, especially in relation to the Internet of Things (IoT), wearable sensing systems, remote sensing, and smart environments. However, current power units represent one of the biggest limitations in wearable and portable sensor networks due to their frequent need for charging and replacement. As a result, self-powered sensor nodes (such as for pressure, temperature, light, or chemical composition) that do not require an external energy supply have become vital. Energy harvesters that convert ambient energy from various sources, such as piezoelectric and triboelectric harvesters for harvesting mechanical energy, thermoelectric harvesters for gathering thermal energy, and photovoltaic harvesters for gathering solar energy, have been widely investigated. Accordingly, this Special Issue will showcase research papers, short communications, and review articles that focus on (1) material and structural design, fabrication and miniaturization, and energy storage and management in energy harvesters and (2) circuit design, integration, sustainable systems, and applications in self-powered sensors.

Dr. Yaoguang Shi
Dr. Weiqiang Zhang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • thermoelectric
  • triboelectric
  • photovoltaic
  • piezoelectric
  • energy harvester
  • self-powered sensors

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

19 pages, 10042 KB  
Review
Recent Progress of Powering IoT Based on Thermoelectric Technology
by Jinhong Dai, Haitao Deng, Jingwen Huang and Xiaosheng Zhang
Micromachines 2025, 16(9), 1017; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16091017 - 31 Aug 2025
Viewed by 708
Abstract
With the rapid advancement of electronic devices, Internet of Things (IoT) technology has become increasingly integrated into everyday life. However, its broader development has been restricted by challenges related to long-term maintenance and the frequent need for power source replacements. Among the available [...] Read more.
With the rapid advancement of electronic devices, Internet of Things (IoT) technology has become increasingly integrated into everyday life. However, its broader development has been restricted by challenges related to long-term maintenance and the frequent need for power source replacements. Among the available power supply solutions, thermoelectric power generation has garnered significant interest due to its high reliability. Nevertheless, the widespread application of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) in IoT remains limited due to their relatively low conversion efficiency and structural fragility. This review systematically summarizes recent strategies aimed at enhancing the output performance and durability of TEGs through improvements in manufacturing processes and performance optimization techniques. It highlights several fabrication methods capable of endowing devices with superior flexibility and reliability, including screen printing, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and electrospray deposition. Additionally, we discuss two key approaches for improving power generation performance: advanced material selection and multi-mechanism hybridization. Finally, the article explores the applications of TEGs in thermal energy harvesting from wearable devices, ambient environments, and aerospace fields, demonstrating their substantial potential to provide sustainable energy for IoT devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Progress in Energy Harvesters and Self-Powered Sensors)
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