High Performance Triboelectric Nanogenerator Based on Ultrastretchable Composite Electrode

Recently, stretchable triboelectric nanogenerators have attracted considerable attention as sustainable energy sources for emerging sensors and electronic applications. In this study, we fabricated a high-performance triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) (SRC-TENG) with excellent stretchability based on a composite electrode composed of a silicone rubber and carbon nanotube (CNT). Our SRC-TENG is capable of 800% elongation and is structurally simple, robust, and easy to fabricate. Moreover, it exhibits excellent performance and delivers a maximum output of 3.52 W/m² at 100 MΩ, which is comparable to or even higher than those of most ultrastretchable TENGs reported. Furthermore, the output performance of the SRC-TENG is enhanced by optimizing the thickness of the composite in the range of 500–3000 μm. This increase was due to the increase in the interfacial area between the dielectric material and CNTs and the enlargement of the contact area. The fabricated SRC-TENGs show relatively high output performance even in their stretched state (e.g. less than ~ 30% decrease at 200% elongation) and demonstrate excellent long-term stability under a continuous loading of 50,000 cycles. We believe that our design principle for developing a high-performance TENG based on a composite electrode can be further expanded to other combinations of tribomaterials for various applications.