Enhanced performance triboelectric nanogenerators based on solid polymer electrolytes with different concentrations of cations. (October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shi, Lin; Dong, Shurong; Xu, Hongsheng; Huang, Shuyi; Ye, Qikai; Liu, Shuting; Wu, Ting; Chen, Jinkai; Zhang, Shaomin; Li, Shijian; Wang, Xiaozhi; Jin, Hao; Kim, Jong Min; Luo, Jikui
• Is Part Of: Nano energy. Volume 64(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-10
• Subjects: Triboelectric nanogenerator -- Solid polymer electrolytes -- Surface potential -- Current density -- Enhanced interaction; Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanostructured materials -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Nanoscience; Nanostructured materials; Nanotechnology; Power resources -- Technological innovations; Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.103960
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2211-2855

Abstract

Abstract: Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), as a promising energy harvesting technology, have attracted considerable attention and various approaches have been developed to improve their output performance. An innovative strategy was proposed recently by using solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) with asymmetric pairing ions as the friction layer, showing excellent potential to achieve high-performance TENGs. However, it is far from clear what are the effects of SPE on TENG performance as only one electrolyte, CaCl2, was used for the investigation. Herein, PTFE/PVA-MClx TENGs based on SPEs with different types of electrolytes, including LiCl, ZnCl2, CaCl2, FeCl3, and AlCl3, were fabricated and their performances were investigated. All the devices demonstrated superior output performance than that of the control PTFE/PVA TENG. Specifically, the PTFE/PVA-LiCl TENG exhibited remarkably enhanced triboelectric performance with an output voltage of ~1345 V, a short-circuit current density of ~260 mA m −2 and a maximum power density of ~83 W m −2, four times higher than that of the control PTFE/PVA TENG. Detailed investigations revealed that in combination with improved triboelectric property, the enhanced interaction of SPEs with opposite triboelectric layers further significantly boost the triboelectric outputs. This work presents a new method to increase the interaction between triboelectric layers to effectively improve the outputs of TENGs, and to facilitate the development of high performance TENGs. Graphical abstract: Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) based solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) with different ion concentrations doping were utilized to fabricate high-performance triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) due to their much improved triboelectric property and enhanced interaction with opposite tribolayer. The PTFE/PVA-LiCl TENG demonstrates an outstanding triboelectric output with a peak output voltage of ~1345 V, a short-circuit current density of ~260 mA m −2 and a maximum power density of ~83 W m −2, much higher than these of TENGs with specific surface micro-structures and optimized device structures reported so far. This study presents a new strategy to increase the interaction between triboelectric layers to effectively improve the outputs of TENGs, and to facilitate the development of high performance TENGs.Image 1 Highlights: Different types of electrolytes have been utilized to dope and modulate PVA based solid polymer electrolytes tribolayer to achieve much enhanced transferred charge density of 210 μC m −2 . The PTFE/PVA-LiCl TENG demonstrates much enhanced triboelectric performance and stability, achieving a high power density of 83 W m −2 . Electrolyte addition enhances the triboelectric property of PVA based SPE as a positive triboelectric material. Enhanced interaction between triboelectric layers further improves the outputs of TENGs significantly.