Nontoxic flexible TENG with robust piezoelectric enhancement through graphitic carbon nitride-incorporated PVDF for wearable sensors and power supplies

Abstract

Flexible triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with superior performance and nontoxicity is desirable for sustainable and wearable electronic applications. Herein, a two-dimensional graphitic-carbon-nitride incorporated poly (vinylidene fluoride) (g-C3N4/PVDF) electronegative layer is synthesized and then assembled with a nylon-11 nanofibers electropositive layer to fabricate a nontoxic flexible TENG. Owing to the synergy of excellent electronegativity of PVDF and robust piezoelectricity enhanced by angle-and-thickness-independent piezoelectric effect of g-C3N4, the optimized TENG exhibits stable and superior output performance including open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 339 V, short-circuit current (ISC) of 14.5 μA, and power density of 0.94 W/m2, better than previously-reported values of PVDF-based and g-C3N4 TENGs. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the optimized TENG can be used not only as a power supply to drive electronics but also as flexible wearable sensors to detect complex motions in real time. Our results provide a convenient way to fabricate a high-performance nontoxic flexible TENG for wearable sensors and power supplies.