Free-Standing Electrode and Fixed Surface Tiny Electrode Implemented Tiboelectric Nanogenerator with High Instantaneous Current

Conventional triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) face challenges pertaining to low output current density at low working frequencies and high internal impedance. While strategies, such as surface modification to enhance surface charge density, permittivity regulation of materials, and circuit management, have partially mitigated these issues. However, they have also resulted in increased complexity in the fabrication process. Therefore, there is an urgent demand for a universal and simplified approach to address these challenges. To fulfill this need, this work presents a free-standing electrode and fixed surface tiny electrode implemented triboelectric nanogenerator (FFI-TENG). It is fabricated by a straightforward yet effective method: introducing a tiny electrode onto the surface of the tribo-negative material. This approach yields substantial enhancements in performance, notably a more than tenfold increase in output current density, a reduction in effective working frequencies, and a decrease in matching resistance as compared to vertical contact-separation TENGs (CS-TENGs) or single-electrode TENGs (SE-TENGs). Simultaneously, a comprehensive examination and proposition regarding the operational mechanism of FFI-TENG, highlighting its extensive applicability are also offered. Significantly, FFI-TENG excels in mechanical energy harvesting even under ultra-low working frequencies (0.1 Hz), outperforming similar contact-separation models. This innovation positions it as a practical and efficient solution for the development of low-entropy energy harvesters. A free-standing electrode and fixed surface tiny electrode implemented triboelectric nanogenerator (FFI-TENG) proposed to be able to generate hundredfold higher instantaneous current compared with conventional single-electrode TENG at an ultra-low working frequency of 0.1 Hz. Furthermore, a series of LEDs lighted by gentle finger touch is verified.image

Automated summary

The FFI-TENG presented in this study is a triboelectric nanogenerator that achieves significant improvements in performance through a simple and effective fabrication method. It generates higher output current density at ultra-low working frequencies and serves as a practical solution for the development of low-entropy energy harvesters.