Easy and Efficient Patterning of Elastomer Dielectric toward Commercialization of Triboelectric Nanogenerator

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are an emerging technology for harnessing green energy and serving as essential power supply for self-charging mobile electronics. Achieving high electrical output in a cost-effective, large-scale production is crucial for the widespread practical application and commercialization of TENG, yet it remains significantly challenging. In this study, we present an innovative, scalable, and cost-effective approach for surface patterning of dielectric elastomer materials with the aim of advancing the commercial potential of TENG. Our method involves the preparation of a durable plastic mold featuring microwell-patterned surface (mw-plate mold), using plastic wastes such as disposal Petri dishes and CD discs, through a one-step dip-coating process. Subsequently, the convex-microbead-patterned polydimethylsiloxane (mb-PDMS) replicas are created using a micromolding technique. Our results indicate the superior structural integrity of the honeycomb mold throughout multiple molding processes, attributed to the reinforcing ability of the plastic plate. Furthermore, TENG device using mb-PDMS exhibit a remarkable average output power density of 3.92 mW×m^-2 with an open-circuit voltage (V_OC) of 185 V and a short-circuit current (I_SC) of 20 µA, representing a 5-fold increase over that of unstructured TENG, thereby demonstrating significantly enhanced electrification effectiveness through surface patterning. We believe that the convergence of cost-effective, scalable and efficient surface patterning of elastomer tribomaterials might enable new prospects for the commercialization of future TENGs for blue energy harvesting that requires a network of huge numbers of TENG devices.