High-Performance Triboelectric Nanogenerators Through Synergistic Nanocomposite Design for Wearable and Flexible Electronics

Enhancing the output performance of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is crucial for their practical implementation in self-powered, wearable, and flexible electronics. This study presents a novel approach to maximize TENG performance through synergistic effects of engineered tribopositive and tribonegative layers. We developed highly flexible tribopositive polyurethane (PU) nanocomposites incorporating rGO-TEPA and tribonegative Ecoflex composites with BST nanoparticles. PU/rGO-TEPA membranes were fabricated via electrospinning, while Ecoflex/BST films were prepared using a sandpaper-textured bar coating technique to optimize surface characteristics. Dielectric measurements revealed that BST addition significantly improved the dielectric constant of Ecoflex composites. Surface potential measurements demonstrated remarkable enhancements for both layers. Through systematic optimization, we determined the ideal compositions to be 2 wt% rGO-TEPA in PU and 5 wt% BST in Ecoflex. The optimized TENG (PU2/EC5-TENG) exhibited exceptional performance, generating a maximum V_oc of 440 V, I_sc of 11.2 μA, and Q of 87 nC, representing a 2.7-fold improvement in V_oc compared to the pristine TENG. Notably, the PU2/EC5-TENG achieved a maximum power density of 0.58 W/m² at 70 MΩ and demonstrated excellent durability over 20,000 cycles. The applicability was successfully verified by powering 100 LED lights and a low-power LCD display. The remarkable enhancement in TENG performance can be attributed to the synergistic interplay between optimized material composition, nanostructure, and surface characteristics. This study provides critical insights into the complex relationship between material properties in triboelectric energy harvesting. It opens the way for next-generation high-performance, self-powered, wearable, and flexible electronics with extensive applications in IoT devices, smart textiles, and environmental monitoring systems.