A Robust Triboelectric Nanogenerator Resistant to Humidity and Temperature in Ambient Environment

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is an energy harvesting technology from widespread mechanical energy based on the combined effects of triboelectrification and electrostatic induction. TENG devices are promising to be integrated into human daily life and their stability in the ambient environment is quite crucial to guarantee robust output. This requirement is increasing exponentially for powering various wearable/portable electronics and still remains as a challenge. Herein, contact and separation mode‐based, humidity‐ and temperature‐resistant TENG (HT‐TENG) is fabricated utilizing ethylene vinyl acetate and polytetrafluoroethylene tape as frictional layers. By harvesting biomechanical energy, the device could generate peak‐to‐peak open circuit voltage of ≈210 V and short‐circuit current of ≈12.85 μA, respectively. The as‐fabricated device is tolerant to fluctuating relative humidity ranging from 10% to 60% and temperature ranging from 10 to 60 °C. Further, the device is shown to charge 22 and 47 μF commercial capacitors to 3 V using rectifier bridges, glowing light‐emitting diodes, powering digital wrist watches, and a calculator. Thus HT‐TENG as an efficient power source reliably operates not only in typical conditions, but also in desert and frigid environments, thereby extending the applicability and commercialization of the device in the global environments.