Electrospun ZnSnO3/PVDF-HFP Nanofibrous Triboelectric Films for Efficient Mechanical Energy Harvesting

Nowadays, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are one of the most emerging technologies owing to their easy and cost-effective device structure. TENGs can harvest mechanical energy from our living environment. Herein, we synthesized dielectric zinc tin oxide (ZnSnO3) nanoparticles (NPs) by a hydrothermal technique. The ZnSnO3 NPs provide a dielectric and piezoelectric effect, which can efficiently enhance the output electrical performance of the proposed TENG. The prepared ZnSnO3 NPs were embedded into a polyvinylidene fluoride hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) polymer to prepare ZnSnO3/PVDF-HFP nanofibrous films to fabricate a TENG. The output performance of TENG was investigated and optimized by varying the loading concentration of ZnSnO3 NPs in PVDF-HFP fibrous films. The highest voltage, current, charge density, and power density from the fabricated TENG were achieved as similar to 138 V, similar to 5 mu A, similar to 52 mu C/m(2), and similar to 1.6 W/m(2), respectively. Additionally, the robustness of the TENG was studied via the long-term mechanical stability test. Finally, the practical and real-time application of the TENG was demonstrated by harvesting mechanical energy to power low-power portable electronic devices. Furthermore, the materials used in the TENG were combined into a skipping rope to harvest biomechanical/mechanical energy while exercising.

Automated summary

Nowadays, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are gaining popularity due to their simple and cost-effective structure, which allows them to harvest mechanical energy from the environment. In this study, dielectric zinc tin oxide (ZnSnO3) nanoparticles were synthesized and combined with a polyvinylidene fluoride hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) polymer to create ZnSnO3/PVDF-HFP nanofibrous films for the fabrication of a TENG. The performance of the TENG was optimized by varying the loading concentration of ZnSnO3 nanoparticles. The highest voltage, current, charge density, and power density achieved by the TENG were 138 V, 5 mu A, 52 mu C/m(2), and 1.6 W/m(2), respectively. The long-term mechanical stability and practical application of the TENG were also investigated.