The continuous fabrication of a high-performance triboelectric nanogenerator by a roll-to-roll process

Abstract

As promising energy harvesters, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) can be widely used in the efficient harvesting of ubiquitous mechanical energy into electric power. However, the continuous fabrication of high-performance triboelectric nanogenerators is still a challenge. Here, with the roll-to-roll process, we report the continuous fabrication of a high-performance triboelectric nanogenerator by ultrafast UV-induced linking of the triboelectric layer to the conductive substrate. Benefiting from the grafting of the methacrylate functional group onto polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), methacrylate-functionalized PDMS (MAPDMS) can be polymerized under UV light. By introducing fluorine-containing silane to enhance electronegativity, fluorine MAPDMS (MAPDMS-F) can achieve a high surface charge density of 249 μC m⁻², which is nearly double that of MAPDMS. Moreover, MAPDMS-F can also be used as a water resistance layer and combined with an interdigital electrode to harvest raindrop energy. This work not only provides an easy way to overcome a major bottleneck in the production of high-performance TENGs but also provides significant guidance on the design of the triboelectric layer.