Advances in Nanostructures for High‐Performance Triboelectric Nanogenerators

Abstract

With the rapid development of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution, the effective conversion of wasted ambient mechanical energy from the environment to generate electricity is regarded as one of the most pivotal technologies for powering widely distributed electronics in the era of the Internet of Things. Although the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), based on the coupling effect of contact electrification and electrostatic induction, has recently undergone a tremendous evolution with the development of various features such as flexibility, conformability, and user‐friendliness, further improvement of the output performance is still required for usage toward practical applications for the next‐generation of IoT devices. In this review article, surface nanostructure modification methods for high‐performance triboelectric nanogenerators are systematically summarized. The field is deeply reviewed, with the methods classified into four categories: templating method, appending method, etching method, and crumpling method. Finally, an in‐depth discussion of the existing challenges and the direction of future efforts for enhancing TENG output performance are clearly stated, which can contribute to promoting further development of the field.

Natural Rubber-TiO2 Nanocomposite Film for Triboelectric Nanogenerator Application

“…Generally, the output performance of TENG is a function of triboelectric charges on triboelectric materials which depend on electrification between two triboelectric materials, surface area, and ability of surface to hold charges [ 17 , 18 ]. In order to improve triboelectric charge density on the surface, many approaches have been proposed, including surface patterning with nanostructures [ 19 , 20 ] and improving dielectric properties of triboelectric materials [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. For the latter case, filling nanomaterials, such as SiO 2 , TiO 2 , BaTiO 3 , and SrTiO 3 in polymer triboelectric materials, were reported to improve dielectric constant and TENG performance [ 23 ].…”

Wearable Biosensors for Non-Invasive Sweat Diagnostics

“…Figure 3a shows a wearable molecular level health monitoring tool developed by researchers at Caltech which is self-powered by human motion [107]. The developed device was powered by a flexible triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) [108][109][110][111][112][113][114]. It measures Na + and pH of sweat using a potentiometric sensing technique, performs signal processing, and transmits this data to a mobile user interface using Bluetooth to track real-time personal health state.…”

Advances in Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Self‐Powered Regenerative Medicine

“…TENGs harness mechanical energy and transform it into electrical energy based on the principles of contact electrification and electrostatic induction. [41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49] Such nanogenerators can even be sensitive to small movements or vibrations created inside and outside the body. [50][51][52] Furthermore, TENGs can be fabricated using various types of biodegradable materials to develop implantable electronic devices for short or even transient treatments.…”