Electrical analysis of triboelectric nanogenerator for high voltage applications exampled by DBD microplasma

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a natural high voltage and low frequency power source by transferring ambient motion into electrical energy. To improve the output performance of the rotary freestanding TENG (RF-TENG) with the capacitive impedance load used in high voltage field, where the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) microplasma as an example, an efficiently and effectively electrical analysis for the whole system is explored. Firstly, a simply experimental method with 99% reliability shows the root mean square (RMS) of open-circuit voltage in our RF-TENG is around 3500-4000V and the internal capacitance is 100–130 pF with frequency from 10 Hz to 30 Hz. Then, the experiments of DBD microplasma directly driven by the RF-TENG under different conditions have been conducted and the results fit well with the simulation in discharge current and voltage. Moreover, a 10–30 folds jumping of the discharge current and real-time power have been observed. Finally, by increasing the input frequency or decreasing gas thickness, the discharge intensity and efficiency have been enhanced, meanwhile over 10 times increase on discharge power (RMS) has been achieved. This work will not only help to understand the characteristics of the microplasma at low frequency (<50 Hz) but also benefit the further researches on the directly high voltage application of the RF-TENG.