High-performance tribopositive PEG-PVA blends for smart energy harvesting: A pathway to self-powered security and healthcare monitoring

The development of efficient and sustainable materials for triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) is critical for advancing self-powered technologies. In this study, a novel tribopositive polymer composite of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is introduced to fabricate high-performance TENGs. The incorporation of PEG in varying quantities of (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2 g) introduces additional polar functional groups (-OH), forming a robust hydrogen-bonding network with PVA and creating abundant charge interaction sites, which was confirmed through the DFT calculations. Systematic investigations of the PEG-to-PVA ratio reveal a significant improvement in triboelectric output, achieving an output voltage of 426.52 V and 82.65 μA. The practicality of the PVA/PEG-TENG is demonstrated through its ability to energize small electronic devices, including smartwatch, a sequence of LEDs and commercial capacitors. Additionally, the device is successfully integrated into a door security system, showcasing its potential for real-time security applications. Further, the tactile movement detection of bedridden or comatose patients is monitored using the PVA/PEG-TENG, highlighting its potential in healthcare applications. This study establishes the PEG-PVA composite as a promising material for versatile, high-performance, and sustainable energy-harvesting systems.