Enhanced performance of TENG through graphene oxide and transition layer coupling: Achieving green energy harvesting and powering wearable devices

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offer a novel approach to harvesting green energy due to their simple structure, low manufacturing cost, and suitability for collecting low-frequency mechanical energy. Previous research has primarily focused on the impact of single factors on the electrical output of TENGs, such as the generation, storage, or loss of triboelectric charges. In this study, we enhanced the generation of triboelectric charges by introducing graphene oxide (GO) and reduced charge loss through a Polyimide (PI) film as a transition layer. By combining both, we maximized the electrical output performance of the TENG. The I_SC, V_OC and charge of the optimized TL-TENG are 33.23 μA, 318.52 V and 152.03 nC, respectively, with a maximum output power of 2.6 W/m². The results indicate that the performance enhancement from the transition layer exceeded that of GO alone, possibly because it reduced the electron drift rate by 97.37%. Additionally, the TL-TENG demonstrated excellent mechanical durability, with I_SC decrease of only 2.25% after 5×10⁴ contact-separation cycles. The device also showed effective metal anti-corrosion properties and could harvest energy from mechanical vibrations and human motion, powering at least 107 LEDs and supporting small electronic devices such as digital watches. The outcomes of this study hold promise for providing reliable energy sources for wearable devices and offer theoretical guidance for designing high performance TENGs.