Fabrication and feasibility study of polymer-based triboelectric nanogenerator towards blue energy harvesting

Abstract

The goal of this study was to investigate a new aspect of polymeric film modification used in triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). TENGs were fabricated using fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) and chemically etched nylon films. The FTIR spectra confirmed the retained polymeric nature of the modified nylon films, and the AFM results showed an improvement in the roughness of the film surfaces after chemical treatment. The as-fabricated floatable TENGs delivered an open-circuit voltage of 12 V when subjected to an external force, and could glow a few light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with water waves. The findings of this study will open new prospects for the future development and optimization of polymer-based TENGs for blue energy harvesting.

Keywords

• TENG
• Blue energy
• Energy harvesting
• Polymer films