Direct-Current Triboelectric Nanogenerators Based on Semiconductor Structure

Abstract

With the rapid development of technology and the expansion of the information age, self-powered systems are gradually emerging. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), coupling contact electrification and electrostatic induction, can realize continuous power supplied for small devices by converting energy. Traditional TENGs mainly used organic polymer insulators as triboelectric materials, which are limited by low current density alternating current. Recently, many different semiconductor material systems, especially gallium nitride (GaN), have been tried for better electric output performance or more application potential due to their high current density direct current, which can improve the output performance and mechanical properties of TENGs and have important application value at the forefront of portable electronic devices, Internet of things, environmental and infrastructural monitoring, medical science, security, and other fields. In this review, we summarize the latest research achievements and progress on TENGs with different semiconductor structures, including metal–semiconductor TENGs, semiconductor–semiconductor TENGs, metal–insulator–semiconductor TENGs, and liquid–semiconductor TENGs. On the basis of the current TENG theory of tribovoltaic effect, the generation mechanism and performance of each TENG was represented. Direct-current TENGs based on semiconductor structure show great promise for self-powered electronic devices.