Usually, high temperature decreases the output performance of triboelectric nanogenerator because of the dissipation of triboelectric charges through the thermionic emission. Here, a temperature difference triboelectric nanogenerator is designed and fabricated to enhance the electrical output performance in high temperature environment. As the hotter friction layer’s temperature of nanogenerator is 0 K to 145 K higher than the cooler part’s temperature, the output voltage, current, surface charge density and output power are increased 2.7, 2.2, 3.0 and 2.9 times, respectively (from 315 V, 9.1 μA, 19.6 μC m−2, 69 μW to 858 V, 20 μA, 58.8 μC m−2, 206.7 μW). With the further increase of temperature difference from 145 K to 219 K, the surface charge density and output performance gradually decrease. At the optimal temperature difference (145 K), the largest output current density is 443 μA cm−2, which is 26.6% larger than the reported record value (350 μA cm−2).

Poor cycling stability and rate capability significantly limit the commercial applications of silicon (Si) anode, due to the huge volume change and poor electronic and ionic conductivity of Si. Combining Si with SiO2 and carbon (C) can effectively improve the structural stability of electrode, but common carbon coating still suffers from the problem of comparatively low ionic conductivity. Here we designed and developed a core–shell structural Si@SiO2@C/Se anode with high ionic conductivity and structural stability by loading selenium (Se) into a carbon framework. Remarkably, it exhibits a high rate capability (612 mAh g–1 at 8 A g–1) and ultrahigh initial columbic efficiency (80.8%), which is much higher than ordinary Si/SiO2-based anode (50–60%). In addition, it shows an excellent cycling performance, which is about 1560 mAh g–1 after 150 charging/discharging cycles at the current density of 0.5 A g–1. This work provides a new technology to design high capacity alloy-type lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) anode.

A nanowire templated CVD synthesis of MoS2 NTs was developed where morphological control was also achieved.

Usually, high temperature decreases the output performance of triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) because of the dissipation of triboelectric charges through the thermionic emission. It would be highly valuable if the high temperature can be used to enhance the output performance of TENG. In this paper, through a simulation combining the electron-cloud-potential-well model for triboelectrification and the thermionic-emission model, we find that there exists an optimum temperature difference ∆T between friction layers under which the output of TENG is maximum. Based on this, a type of contact-separation temperature difference TENG with controllable friction layer temperature (TDNG) is designed and fabricated to enhance the electrical output performance in temperature difference environment. As the temperature difference ∆T increasing from 0 K to 145 K, the output voltage, current, the surface charge density and output power are increased 2.7, 2.2, 3.0 and 2.9 times, respectively (from 315 V, 9.1 μA, 47 nC/m2, 69 μW to 858 V, 20 μA, 0.14 μC/m2, 206.7 μW). Then with the continuous increase of ∆T to 219 K, the surface charge density and output performance gradually decrease. At the optimal temperature difference (145 K), the biggest output current density (396 μA/cm2) has been obtained, which is 13% larger than the reported record value (350 μA/cm2).

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