MSE Talks: Mustafa Ordu, Bilkent University

Speaker: Mustafa Ordu, UNAM – National Nanotechnology Research Center and Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Türkiye

Title: Fiber-Based Nanogenerators for Advanced Wearable Technologies

Abstract: The rapid growth of wearable technologies drives demand for real-time, battery-independent monitoring of human activities and physiological signals. Flexible piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators offer a compelling solution by acting as self-powered sensors that function without external power supplies. These devices also enable energy harvesting from everyday human motion, presenting a viable alternative energy source for low-power electronics. Among them, fiber-shaped nanogenerators stand out due to their inherent flexibility, stretchability, and compatibility with textile manufacturing, allowing direct integration into wearable fabrics. This talk will present our research activities on the development of thermally drawn, fiber-based triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators, highlighting their dual role as both self-powered sensors and energy harvesters. By incorporating low-dimensional materials into thermally drawn fibers, the sensing and energy conversion performances of nanogenerators are significantly enhanced. Moreover, forming highly porous media and micro/nano spheres in fibers further controls the electrical properties that can be exploited for multifunctional sensing. These smart fibers demonstrate promising capabilities for tracking physical human activities and vital signs such as heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure. Furthermore, their ability to convert mechanical energy into electricity opens pathways for powering small-scale and portable electronic devices, without the need for traditional batteries.

Bio: Dr. Mustafa Ordu is an assistant professor at UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center and Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology at Bilkent University, Türkiye. He received his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University, Türkiye and Tohoku University, Japan, respectively, and earned his Ph.D. from Boston University in 2018. He was a postdoctoral researcher on the development of hollow-core optical fibers at the XLIM Research Institute in Limoges, France before joining Bilkent. His research interest covers a variety of sensor fibers, such as piezoelectric, triboelectric and porous nanocomposite fibers and optical fibers, including hollow-core fibers, semiconductor-core fibers and microstructured polymer fibers. Dr. Ordu is the author of the book titled “Nanogenerators: Energy Harvesters and Self-Powered Sensors” published by Royal Society of Chemistry in 2025. He is the recipient of TÜBİTAK Career Grant in 2020.