Skeleton Enhanced Dispersed Lubricant Particle Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Droplet Energy Harvesting

Abstract

Abstract Liquid–solid triboelectric nanogenerators (LS‐TENGs) can be widely utilized for droplet energy harvesting, in which slippery modification of triboelectric layer is crucial for output enhancement. However, classical slippery lubricant‐infused surfaces suffer from the blocked triboelectric effect and the poor durability. Herein, a controllable phase separation method is reported to disperse skeleton‐enhanced lubricant particles on triboelectric layer, leading to the development of a stretchable slippery triboelectric nanogenerator (SS‐TENG) based on a modified slippery triboelectric layer and a liquid metal electrode. The dispersed lubricant particles (DLPs) ensure triboelectric effect between droplet and triboelectric layer, in addition to improving energy harvesting and charge transfer efficiencies. As a result, the open circuit voltage significantly increases from 0.9 to 14.4 V, with a transfer charge density of 6.95 × 10 −3 C m −2 L −1 . The embedded skeleton within lubricant particle significantly improves the durability of triboelectric layer, ensuring nearly no decline in output performance of SS‐TENG during long‐term operation. Furthermore, the SS‐TENG exhibits stable output even under 300% stretching, as the DLPs remain firmly anchored to triboelectric layer during deformation. Owing to its excellent triboelectric performance, durability, and flexibility, the SS‐TENG can be integrated into various objects to harvest raindrop energy and power electronic devices.