A novel hybrid triboelectric nanogenerator based on the mutual boosting effect of electrostatic induction and electrostatic breakdown

Abstract

A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a promising technology for harvesting widely distributed high-entropy energy (HEE). Although plenty of dual-mode TENGs have been developed by combining conventional AC- and DC-TENGs to adapt to different application scenarios, the meager output and strict material selection remain challenging. Herein, by integrating the traditional AC-TENG and the latest DF-TENG, a novel hybrid TENG (H-TENG) with switchable dual-output mode (dual AC during reciprocating motion or hybrid AC/DC during unidirectional motion) is proposed, which allows simple structure, tunable output polarity, and broad material selection, distinguishing it from the conventional dual-mode TENGs. More importantly, at the boundary between AC- and DF-TENG, a mutual boosting effect of electrostatic induction and electrostatic breakdown is identified, resulting in an enhanced output of both components. Benefiting from this, the H-TENG produces a remarkable total peak power density of 8.11 W m⁻² Hz⁻¹ (total average power density of 3.29 W m⁻² Hz⁻¹). This work provides insights for understanding the underlying interaction behavior between the fundamental physical mechanisms in the TENG while offering a new methodology for obtaining high-performance devices to capture ambient HEE.