Triple perovskite-based triboelectric nanogenerator: a facile method of energy harvesting and self-powered information generator

Abstract

A modified aqueous sol-gel reaction is used to synthesize a triple perovskite with a composition Sr3Co2WO9 (SCWO). The structural analysis conducted at room temperature reveals the presence of the cubic phase with space group Fm-3m. The microstructure of the as-synthesized SCWO particles shows a different size of particles depicting a polycrystalline nature. Triboelectrification is a trending and unique concept in energy scavenging methodologies with flexibility in choosing from a variety of materials. This paves the way to evolve eco-friendly triboelectric energy harvesters as a replacement for the limitation of batteries. The outstanding dielectric properties and low loss make triple perovskite a promising candidate for TENG. A triboelectric nanogenerator (TP-TENG) was designed, which operates in vertical contact separation mode generating an electrical response of voltage and current of 300 V and 2.2 μA, respectively, for 10 wt% polydimethylsiloxane-Sr3Co2WO9 (PDMS-SCWO) composite film. The power density of the rough surface TP-TENG was 30.5 μW/cm2, which is much higher than the power density of 5.5 μW/cm2 of plain surface TP-TENG. The positive and negative triboelectric layers of the TP-TENG were made up of aluminum and PDMS-SCWO composite film, respectively. Furthermore, the excellent flexibility and durability of TP-TENG make it suitable for sensing various gaits and information signaling (Morse code) in real-time applications, as well as for charging commercial capacitors.