Triboelectric Harvesting by a Dual‐Tip Peak Power Multiplier under Airtight Condition

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are effective for harvesting mechanical energy and converting into electricity. Such devices have high output voltage and low current, appearing as high output impedance. Impedance mismatches involving these devices create challenges in power usage, storage, and management. Herein, a dual‐tip‐assisted TENG is developed and its electrical output performance under airtight condition is investigated. The generated charges can rapidly accumulate at the dual tip and produce a high potential difference. Such a potential difference accelerates the induced charges’ transfer speed and quantity. Gas discharge occurs once the potential exceeds some threshold, providing a conduction path for accumulated charges. With the help of such dual‐tip peak power multiplier, TENG's peak‐to‐peak short‐circuit current and open‐circuit voltage are 433% and 145% higher, respectively. The peak power reaches a maximum of 34.8 mW with a 100 kΩ load resistance, whereas that of the original TENG is 1.5 mW with a 100 MΩ load resistance, indicating 22.2 times of peak power increase and an optimal matching impedance decrease by three orders of magnitude. The results indicate that this multiplier is meaningful for the optimization of TENG's output and impedance.

An Advanced Strategy to Enhance TENG Output: Reducing Triboelectric Charge Decay

“…Researchers have found that the sharpness and number of discharge electrodes, the pulse width of output voltage, the operating frequency of TENG, and the air environment are the factors influencing TENG with air breakdown. [77][78][79] Application of air breakdown in TENG not only enhanced the TENG output but also have developed many ingenious applications. Although in these applications, triboelectric charge decay is not reduced, some unexpected features of TENG are brought out.…”

Nanostructured versus flat compact electrode for triboelectric nanogenerators at high humidity

“…So covering the substrate surface with the nanotube, nanoparticle, nanowire, and porous media can improve the performance of TENG due to an increased internal surface area as also suggested in 13 , 15 , 32 – 35 . On the other hand, TENG charge vanishes in humid environments because of the formation of water film on the surface 19 , 36 , 37 . Since humidity is ubiquitous in environments where TENG is used, improving the TENG operation in humid environments is of great importance as also indicated in 38 , 39 .…”