High-performance coaxial reversal rotational triboelectric nanogenerator based on charge pumping strategy driving tip high voltage breakdown

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) serves as an effective method for harvesting mechanical energy from the surrounding environment. Nonetheless, its practical application is hindered by issues such as inadequate charge density and wear of friction surface materials. Here, a high-performance self-supplementing coaxial inverse triboelectric nanogenerator (HSCI-TENG) based on charge pumping supplementary strategy is presented, which operates in non-contact mode and increases surface charge density with almost no friction loss. The coaxial reversal design facilitates dual-speed rotation, resulting in a significant enhancement of the output current. Furthermore, an innovative approach was employed by affixing four layers of 0.06 mm thick PET film to the storage electrode, thereby augmenting the threshold of electrode charge storage and effectively mitigating the risk of electrode breakdown. At a rotation speed of 300 rpm, the peak-to-peak voltage, peak-to-peak current, and charge transfer of HSCI-TENG are 3340 V, 360 μA and 0.97 μC, respectively. Excellent stability is demonstrated through 10000 cycle tests on the output of HSCI-TENG. In particular, the maximum output power is 770 mW at a load resistance of 8×106 Ω. The high-performance HSCI-TENG has been proven to be a stable energy source driving high voltage breakdown sensor system. The tip high voltage breakdown exhibits high frequency and continuity, with 14 breakdowns occurring within 10 seconds. Besides, HSCI-TENG has potential to serve as an energy source for high-pressure sterilization, high-pressure dust removal, and water electrolysis systems.