A triboelectric nanogenerator using degradable surface-modified cellulose acetate and ferroelectric gelatin composite nanofibers

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have predominantly relied on non-degradable polymers for their development, raising concerns about their environmental impact upon disposal. In response, the exploration of alternative paths for TENG fabrication using environmentally friendly materials has gained attention. However, the performance of TENGs fabricated using degradable alternatives has fallen short when compared to devices fabricated using their non-degradable counterparts. To bridge this performance gap, our study focuses on optimizing the key factors influencing TENG efficiency. We systematically investigated nanofiber structures, introduced chemical surface modifications, and tailored triboelectric properties through the integration of ferroelectric molecules and composite structures. By strategically combining PEI(b)-modified CA nanofibers as the tribo-positive layer and gelatin-based nanofibers embedded with ImClO₄ and MXene fillers as the tribo-negative layer, we have elevated the output performance of TENGs to a level comparable to those based on non-degradable polymers. Specifically, our degradable TENGs demonstrated an open-circuit voltage of up to 300 V, a short-circuit current of 10 μA cm⁻², and an impressive maximum power density exceeding 500 μW cm⁻². These findings mark a significant advancement in output performance compared to other TENGs employing degradable materials. Furthermore, the degradation experiment revealed that the TENGs used in this study can degrade almost completely within approximately 60 days when exposed to natural environmental conditions.