Abstract
The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has emerged as a novel energy technology that converts mechanical energy from surrounding environments to electricity. The TENG fabricated from environmentally friendly materials would encourage the development of next-generation energy technologies that are green and sustainable. In the present work, a green triboelectric material has been fabricated from natural rubber (NR) filled with activated carbon (AC) derived from human hair. It is found that the TENG fabricated from an NR-AC composite as a tribopositive material and a poly-tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet as a tribonegative one generates the highest peak-to-peak output voltage of 89.6 V, highest peak-to-peak output current of 6.9 µA, and can deliver the maximum power density of 242 mW/m2. The finding of this work presents a potential solution for the development of a green and sustainable energy source.
Highlights
The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is emerging as an energy-harvesting device that converts mechanical energy into electricity based on a combination of the effects of contact electrification and electrostatic induction [1]
The natural rubber (NR) and NR-ACs derived from human hair (ACH) composite films were tribopositive materials, and a PTFE sheet was used as a paired tribonegative material
When the surfaces of the PTFE and NR-based materials are in contact, surface charges with different signs are formed on the two surfaces; negative surface charges form on the PTFE and positive ones form on the NR-based material
Summary
The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is emerging as an energy-harvesting device that converts mechanical energy into electricity based on a combination of the effects of contact electrification and electrostatic induction [1]. Mechanical energy is one of the most abundant forms of energy that exists in many different forms in our living environment. To harvest these mechanical energies, the concept of environmental friendliness is regarded as one of the most important aspects for the development of a clean and sustainable energy source. Many efforts have been made to develop biodegradable and environmentally friendly triboelectric materials. These include plant-based materials, such as wood [13], leaves [14], and cellulose [15] and animal-based degradable materials, such as chitosan [16], silk fibroin [17], and gelatin [18]
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