Development of a Wearable Triboelectric Nanogenerator

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Overview

The "Development of a Wearable Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG)-based Self-Powered Smart Face Mask for Early Diagnosis of Pulmonary Edema in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients" Project at GITAM University focuses on creating a self-powered diagnostic mask using MoS₂ and MXene-based triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs).

This research addresses the critical challenge of early detection of pulmonary edema (PE) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, a complication that significantly increases morbidity and mortality. Current diagnostic tools are invasive, expensive, and unsuitable for continuous monitoring. By harnessing nanomaterials and energy-harvesting technology, the mask will provide real-time, non-invasive CO₂ monitoring, enabling timely diagnosis and intervention. Beyond CKD care, the project contributes to the fields of wearable healthcare, IoMT, sustainable biosensing, and innovative medical devices — advancing both academic knowledge and translational impact.

Research team

Dr. Lignesh B Durai

Principal Investigator

Department of EECE, GITAM Bengaluru

Email: ldurai@gitam.edu

Research objectives

Develop and optimize MoS₂ and MXene-based TENG materials with high surface area and stability for breath-based diagnostics.
Integrate TENG into a wearable, breathable mask platform that powers itself while functioning as a CO₂ sensor for detecting hypercapnia and hypoxemia.
Validate the biocompatibility, comfort, and usability of the innovative mask under real-world conditions, comparing its performance against that of conventional PE diagnostics.
Advance IoMT-based data processing and wireless communication for remote monitoring and clinical decision-making.
Translate findings to broader applications such as monitoring infectious diseases, exercise physiology, and chronic disease management.

Development of a Wearable Triboelectric Nanogenerator (TENG)-based Self-Powered Smart Face Mask for Early Diagnosis of Pulmonary Edema in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Multi-disciplinary collaboration within GITAM

The project represents a multi-disciplinary collaboration within GITAM, uniting the expertise of the Departments of Computer Science, Physics, and Chemistry. This collaboration integrates computational methods with experimental and theoretical insights, enabling a more comprehensive approach to research. Such synergy across disciplines strengthens innovation and supports the development of impactful scientific outcomes.

Research approach

This project adopts a multidisciplinary research approach combining nanomaterial synthesis, sensor engineering, wearable electronics, and biomedical validation:

Material Synthesis: Develop MoS₂ and MXene nanostructures optimized for triboelectric charge generation, analyzed by SEM, TEM, XRD, and Raman.
TENG Fabrication: Integrate nanomaterials into flexible textiles to construct an all-fabric TENG embedded within a mask substrate.
CO₂ Sensing: Calibrate under controlled breath conditions, recording electrical signals against CO₂ concentrations to assess sensitivity, specificity, and response time.
System Integration: Incorporate supercapacitors, Bluetooth/LoRa communication, and low-power electronics for IoMT connectivity.
Wearability & Validation: Test biocompatibility, ergonomics, durability, and user comfort through lab-scale and preclinical trials.
Clinical Translation: Benchmark against ECG, chest X-ray, and catheterization to demonstrate reliability, cost-efficiency, and usability.

This systematic methodology enables end-to-end development, from nanomaterial science to translational healthcare applications.

Research outcomes and impact

The project is expected to deliver a self-powered, innovative face mask capable of non-invasive detection of pulmonary edema in CKD patients through CO₂ breath analysis.

Outcomes include validated TENG-enabled sensing prototypes, wireless IoMT connectivity for remote monitoring, and ergonomic wearable designs for long-term use.

The benefits span:

Society: Reduced hospital admissions and early interventions.
Industry: Commercialization of scalable diagnostic wearables.
Academia: New insights into nanogenerators, IoMT healthcare, and biosensors.

In the long term, the project will advance sustainable and accessible point-of-care diagnostics with broader applications in chronic disease monitoring, infectious disease detection, and personalized healthcare.

Research support from GITAM

GITAM has provided extensive institutional support for this research through the MURTI Faculty Fellowship, Research Seed Grant, and access to advanced facilities, including the Electrochemical Impedance Analyzer, LCR Meter, Hot Air Oven, and Tubular Furnace at the Biosensor Research Lab, MURTI Research Center. The university's strong research ecosystem and technical infrastructure have played a crucial role in enabling the project's experimental and analytical progress.

Collaborators

Coventry University

Research publications & resources

Analytical model for DG-AlGaN/GaN MOS-HEMT for sensitive analysis of pH analytes and charged biomolecules, P. Sriramani, N. Mohankumar, Lignesh Durai, Y. Prasamsha, Nitin Rakesh, Sensors International, 2025, Volume 6, Pages 100312. View Paper
Improved electrocatalytic performance of Ni nano pebbles decorated 2D Fe based MXene nanosheets for direct alcohol (methanol, ethanol and ethylene glycol) fuel cell application, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Fuel, 2023, Volume 352, Pages 129058. View Paper
Ni-Metal Organic Framework Nanosheets and Ni3C/Biomass Porous Carbon Composite Based Long Cycle Life Asymmetric Supercapacitor, Om Priya Nanda, Manaswini Ravipati, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Materials Research Bulletin, 2023, Volume 168, Pages 112488. View Paper
Facile one-step synthesis of a niobium iron oxide based electrochemical transistor for rapid, label-free detection of folic acid in human blood serum samples, Anjali Sreekumar, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, New Journal of Chemistry, 2023, Volume 47, Pages 8845–8853. View Paper
Single-Pot Solvothermal Synthesis of Single-Crystalline Nickel-Metal Organic Framework Nanosheets for Direct Iron Fuel Cell Applications, Manaswini Ravipati, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, ACS Applied Energy Materials, 2023, Volume 6(13), Pages 6901–6909. View Paper
Low-cost synthesis of non-noble Ni-based MXene (Ni3C) nanosheets, decorated nickel foam as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for alkaline-acid urea-nitrate fuel cell, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Materials Chemistry and Physics, 2023, Pages 127719. View Paper
Solid-state single-step synthesis of FeNbO4 perovskite modified nickel foam for electrochemical detection of Creatine phosphokinase in simulated human blood serum, Anjali Sreekumar, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Ceramics International, 2023. View Paper
Nickel MXene Nanosheet and Heteroatom Self-Doped Porous Carbon-Based Asymmetric Supercapacitors with Ultrahigh Energy Density, Om Priya Nanda, Aksha Gilbert Prince, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Energy & Fuels, 2023. View Paper
One-step hydrothermal synthesis of Bi2CuO4 nanoflakes: An excellent electrode material for symmetric supercapacitors, Manickavasakam Karnan, Om Priya Nanda, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Journal of Energy Storage, 2023, Volume 63, Pages 106993. View Paper
Solid state synthesis of a RuNiO3 perovskite nanomaterial as an electrocatalyst for direct alcohol (ethanol, methanol and ethylene glycol) fuel cell applications, Aksha Gilbert Prince, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, New Journal of Chemistry, 2023. View Paper
A non-noble, low cost, multicomponent electrocatalyst based on nickel oxide decorated AC nanosheets and PPy nanowires for the direct methanol oxidation reaction, Lignesh Durai, S. S. Gunasekaran, Sushmee Badhulika, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2022, Volume 47, Pages 3099–3107. View Paper
Stripping voltammetry and chemometrics assisted ultra-selective, simultaneous detection of trace amounts of heavy metal ions in aqua and blood serum samples, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Sensors and Actuators Reports, 2022, Volume 4. View Paper
Hydrothermal Synthesis of Non-noble Hybrid Cu2S Decorated Nickel Foam and Its Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity for Direct Aluminum Fuel Cell Application, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, ACS Applied Energy Materials, 2022, Volume 5. View Paper
Solid-state synthesis of β-NaAlO2 nanoflakes as an anode material for high-performance sodium-ion batteries, Lignesh Durai, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Sushmee Badhulika, Materials Chemistry Frontiers, 2022, Volume 6, Pages 2913–2920. View Paper
A low-cost and facile electrochemical sensor for the trace-level recognition of flutamide in biofluids using large-area bimetallic NiCo2O4 micro flowers, Lignesh Durai, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Sushmee Badhulika, New Journal of Chemistry, 2022, Volume 46, Pages 3383–3391. View Paper
Spinel structured MgAl2O4 nanoparticles as a low-cost and stable SERS substrate for rapid simultaneous detection of neurological drugs in biofluids, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Ceramics International, 2022, Volume 48, Pages 18667–18675. View Paper
A Wearable PVA Film Supported TiO2 Nanoparticles Decorated NaNbO3 Nanoflakes-Based SERS Sensor for Simultaneous Detection of Metabolites and Biomolecules in Human Sweat Samples, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Advanced Materials Interfaces, 2022, Volume 9. View Paper
Facile synthesis of ZnTiO3 nanoflakes as an efficient electrode material for high energy density supercapacitor applications, M. Karnan, Lignesh Durai, K Hari Prakash, Sushmee Badhulika, Journal of Energy Storage, 2022, Volume 56. View Paper
Ni3C MXene nanosheets as an efficient binder-less electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction, Aksha Gilbert Prince, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, FlatChem, 2022, Volume 36. View Paper
Silica embedded carbon nanosheets derived from biomass acorn cupule for non-enzymatic, label-free, and wide range detection of α 1-acid glycoprotein in biofluids, Lignesh Durai, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Sushmee Badhulika, Analytica Chimica Acta, 2021, Volume 1169. View Paper
Record-High Responsivity and Detectivity of a Flexible Deep-Ultraviolet Photodetector Based on Solid State-Assisted Synthesized hBN Nanosheets, Sushmitha Veeralingam, Lignesh Durai, Pinki Yadav, Sushmee Badhulika, ACS Applied Electronic Materials, 2021, Volume 3, Pages 1162–1169. View Paper
One-pot hydrothermal synthesis of NiCoZn a ternary mixed metal oxide nanorod based electrochemical sensor for trace level recognition of dopamine in biofluids, Lignesh Durai, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Sushmee Badhulika, Materials Letters, 2021, Volume 298. View Paper
3D, large-area NiCo2O4 microflowers as a highly stable substrate for rapid and trace level detection of flutamide in biofluids via surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Microchimica Acta, 2021, Volume 188. View Paper
Ultra-Selective and Wide Range Detection of D-Mannitol in Human Blood Samples via Differential Pulse Voltammetry Technique Using MgAl2O4 Perovskite Modified Electrode, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, IEEE Sensors Journal, 2021, Volume 21, Pages 5736–5742. View Paper
Vertically Aligned Few-Layer Crumpled MoS2 Hybrid Nanostructure on Porous Ni Foam toward Promising Binder-Free Methanol Electro-Oxidation Application, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Lignesh Durai, Jiaojiao Ma, Chang Yi Kong, Sushmee Badhulika, Energy & Fuels, 2021, Volume 35, Pages 10169–10180. View Paper
One-Pot Synthesis of rGO Supported Nb2O5 Nanospheres for Ultra-Selective Sensing of Bisphenol A and Hydrazine in Water Samples, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, IEEE Sensors Journal, 2021, Volume 21, Pages 4152–4159. View Paper
Highly Sensitive Electrochemical Impedance-Based Biosensor for Label-Free and Wide Range Detection of Fibrinogen Using Hydrothermally Grown AlFeO3 Nanospheres Modified Electrode, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, IEEE Sensors Journal, 2021, Volume 21, Pages 4160–4166. View Paper
Facile synthesis of biomass-derived sulfonated carbon microspheres and nanosheets for the electrochemical detection of glutathione in biological samples, Lignesh Durai, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Sushmee Badhulika, Materials Letters, 2021, Volume 282. View Paper
Highly Stable NiCoZn Ternary Mixed-Metal-Oxide Nanorods as a Low-Cost, Non-Noble Electrocatalyst for Methanol Electro-Oxidation in Alkaline Medium, Lignesh Durai, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Sushmee Badhulika, Energy & Fuels, 2021, Volume 35, Pages 12507–12515. View Paper
Highly selective trace level detection of DNA damage biomarker using iron-based MAX compound modified screen-printed carbon electrode using differential pulse voltammetry, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Sensors and Actuators Reports, 2021, Volume 3. View Paper
One Pot Hydrothermal Synthesis of Large Area Nano Cube Like ZnSnO3 Perovskite for Simultaneous Sensing of Uric Acid and Dopamine Using Differential Pulse Voltammetry, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, IEEE Sensors Journal, 2020, Volume 20, Pages 13212–13219. View Paper
Facile synthesis of large area pebble-like β-NaFeO2 perovskite for simultaneous sensing of dopamine, uric acid, xanthine and hypoxanthine in human blood, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Materials Science and Engineering C, 2020, Volume 109. View Paper
Thermal decomposition assisted one-step synthesis of high surface area NiCoP nanospheres for simultaneous sensing of Lead, Mercury and Cadmium ions in groundwater samples, Lignesh Durai, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Sushmee Badhulika, Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 2020, Volume 861. View Paper
Label-free wide range electrochemical detection of β-carotene using solid state assisted synthesis of hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets, Lignesh Durai, Pinki Yadav, Harita Pant, Vadali V. S. S. Srikanth, Sushmee Badhulika, New Journal of Chemistry, 2020, Volume 44, Pages 15919–15927. View Paper
One-step solid-state reaction synthesis of β-NaFeO2 nanopebble as high-capacity cathode material for sodium ion batteries, Lignesh Durai, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Sushmee Badhulika, Materials Letters, 2020, Volume 270. View Paper
Ultra-selective, trace level detection of As3+ ions in blood samples using PANI coated BiVO4 modified SPCE via differential pulse anode stripping voltammetry, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Materials Science and Engineering C, 2020, Volume 111. View Paper
One-step solvothermal synthesis of nanoflake–nanorod WS2 hybrid for non-enzymatic detection of uric acid and quercetin in blood serum, Lignesh Durai, Chang Yi Kong, Sushmee Badhulika, Materials Science and Engineering C, 2020, Volume 107. View Paper
Simultaneous sensing of copper, lead, cadmium and mercury traces in human blood serum using orthorhombic phase aluminium ferrite, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Materials Science and Engineering C, 2020, Volume 112. View Paper
Polyaniline Sheathed Black Phosphorous: A Novel, Advanced Platform for Electrochemical Sensing Applications, Lignesh Durai, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Nandimalla Vishnu, Sushmee Badhulika, Electroanalysis, 2020, Volume 32, Pages 238–247. View Paper
Highly selective trace level detection of Atrazine in human blood samples using lead-free double perovskite Al2NiCoO5 modified electrode via differential pulse voltammetry, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2020, Volume 325. View Paper
Electrochemical properties of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 perovskite as an anode material for sodium ion batteries, K. Kamala Bharathi, Brindha Moorthy, Hanuma Kumar Dara, Lignesh Durai, Do Kyung Kim, Journal of Materials Science, 2019, Volume 54, Pages 13236–13246. View Paper
Facile Fabrication of P(Electrodeposition)/N(Solvothermal) 2D-WS2-Homojunction Based High Performance Photo Responsive, Strain Modulated Piezo-Phototronic Diode, Sushmitha Veeralingam, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, ChemNanoMat, 2019, Volume 5, Pages 1521–1530. View Paper
A facile, solid-state reaction assisted synthesis of a berry-like NaNbO3 perovskite structure for binder-free, highly selective sensing of dopamine in blood samples, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, New Journal of Chemistry, 2019, Volume 43, Pages 11994–12003. View Paper
Electrochemical properties of BiFeO3 nanoparticles: Anode material for sodium-ion battery application, Lignesh Durai, Brindha Moorthy, Collin Issac Thomas, Do Kyung Kim, K. Kamala Bharathi, Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 2017. View Paper
Detection of γ-Radiations using Lead Sulfide Nanostructures: Through Optical Properties, Lignesh Durai, Sabnam A, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, T. Vijayakumar, International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, 2017. View Paper
A Simple Approach to Stepwise Synthesis of Graphene Oxide Nanomaterial, B. Paluchamy, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Lignesh Durai, Journal of Nanomedicine & Nanotechnology, 2015.
Review Article: Current Challenges and Developments in Perovskite-Based Electrochemical Biosensors for Effective Theragnostics of Neurological Disorders, Lignesh Durai, Sushmee Badhulika, ACS Omega, 2022, Volume 7, Pages 39491–39497. View Paper
Book Chapter: Recent Developments in Biosensor Technology for Early Diagnosis of Neurological Disorders, Lignesh Durai, Arthi Gopalakrishnan, Encyclopedia of Materials: Electronics, 2023, Volume 3, Pages 115–128. View Chapter