Liquid-solid contact electrification through the lens of surface and interface science

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are cutting-edge technology that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy through contact electrification (CE). The CE process involves the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of material surfaces and interfaces. Studying CE from the perspective of interfacial science can provide a comprehensive understanding of the charging mechanism and improve the performance of TENGs through structural design and technical optimization. Therefore, this paper reviews the research progress in CE from the perspective of surface and interface science. Specifically, we introduce the static and dynamic behavior of the liquid-solid (L-S) interaction during CE separately. Then, the interface phenomenon involved in gas-liquid-solid CE, such as surface wettability and ionic effect on liquid film drainage between the bubble and solid surface in water is discussed. This new interdisciplinary area of surface science of TENGs provides many research opportunities, while it is essential to explain critical phenomena in the CE process.