Interfacial synergy of micro-/nanoscale triboelectric materials for efficient triboelectric nanogenerators

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offer a promising route for harvesting ambient mechanical energy, but their widespread application is hindered by low power density. In this work, an interfacial synergy strategy was proposed to overcome this limitation by integrating micro- and nanostructured interfaces between polyimide (PI) and polyamide (PA) materials. Through systematic investigation, the combination of electrospun PI nanofiber membranes with microstructured PA fabrics maximizes the effective contact area and charge-transfer pathways. The results showed that the PI nanofiber/PA fabric pairing yields an open-circuit voltage of 76 V and a short-circuit current of 5.9 µA under a 20 N load at 3 Hz. The optimized device powered 56 light-emitting diodes and charged commercial capacitors with high efficiency. Additionally, an intelligent security system based on TENG technology was developed, underscoring its versatility for self-powered electronics and energy storage. This work elucidates the pivotal role of coordinated micro-/nanostructural matching in enhancing triboelectric output and provides a generalizable approach for advancing TENG performance in sustainable energy, flexible electronics, and smart device applications.