High performance DC-TENG based on coupling of mismatched number of triboelectric units and electrodes with mechanical switches for metal surface anti-corrosion

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Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) have proven to be a promising technology for harvesting dispersed mechanical energy. However, traditional TENGs based on triboelectrification and electrostatic induction generate electricity in alternating current (AC) mode, which needs to be converted into direct current (DC) for most applications. Here, we propose a DC-TENG based on the coupling of mismatched number of triboelectric units and electrodes with a mechanical switch design. This design not only simplifies the structure compared with previous multi-phase TENG and minimizes power loss, but enables a stable DC generation without post-management, which can be used directly to metal surface anti-corrosion. The experimental results show that the output current of this TENG with the mismatched number of triboelectric units (T) and electrodes (E) in 2T3E, 4T5E and 6T7E increases from 16.96 μA to 32.46 μA, achieving maximum power density of 33.20 mW with an external resistance of 80 MΩ. This enhancement in performance illustrates the effectiveness of the proposed design for harvesting and converting energy efficiently. Furthermore, the application of the mismatched MTE-TENG as a power source for metal surface anti-corrosion is explored. Through immersion experiments and electrochemical tests, the corrosion current decreases from 29.59 μA to 3.15 μA compared with bare carbon steel, which significant decreases in both anodic and cathodic branch currents, indicating the achievement of the anti-corrosion effect. This work provides a new way to achieve high DC output for metal surface anti-corrosion and realizes a green electrochemical anticorrosion process.