Development of La-Doped BiFeO3/PVDF Nanocomposite Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Self-Powered Anticorrosion System

Incorporating high-permittivity nanoparticles as fillers into triboelectric layers is an effective strategy to enhance the output performance of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). However, exceeding the critical filler concentration threshold causes nanoparticle aggregation, limiting further output performance enhancement of TENG. Here, a novel approach is proposed to enhance TENG output performance by doping lanthanum (La) into bismuth ferrite (BFO), forming La-doped BFO nanoparticle fillers (BLFO) to further improve the output performance of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based TENG without increasing filler concentration. This approach overcomes the limitation of nanoparticle aggregation at high filler loadings while significantly enhancing the output performance of TENG. Below the critical concentration threshold, the dielectric constant of BLFO/PVDF composites increases by 32% compared to undoped BFO/PVDF composites. Consequently, the BLFO/PVDF-based TENG achieves a high output voltage of 329 V and short circuit current of 44 µA, representing 43% and 69% increases over the BFO/PVDF-based TENG, respectively. Notably, these values represent 219% and 193% increases compared to the pure PVDF-based TENG. Furthermore, a self-powered anticorrosion system powered by the BLFO/PVDF TENG demonstrates effective metal protection, as evidenced by open-circuit potential measurements and reduced average corrosion rates.