An investigation into the influence of tribological parameters on the operation of sliding triboelectric nanogenerators

The triboelectric effect - also known as contact electrification - has long been described as the phenomenon of electronic charge transfer between material surfaces arising purely as a result of mechanical contact. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are a series of devices that couple contact electrification and electrostatic induction for applications in various power solutions. The tribological properties of these devices have often been overlooked. Through the development of a novel test apparatus, a clear difference can be distinguished in output current and contact charge accumulation as different insulating and conductive materials are used. A relationship between the rms slope (Rdq) of contacting surfaces and their respective charging rates via triboelectrification is also demonstrated.