Flexible triboelectric nanogenerators based on polysiloxane/graphene oxide nanocomposites for sustainable mechanical energy harvesting
摘要
Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are limited by poor charge retention and unstable output. This study investigates the effect of graphene oxide (GO) incorporation and environmental humidity on a nylon/polysiloxane-based TENG. Structural and chemical properties were analyzed using XRD, Raman, and FTIR, while SEM and photoluminescence (PL) were used to examine morphology and charge-trapping behavior. Electrical performance was evaluated through dielectric and TENG output measurements. An optimal GO loading of 0.05 wt% yields the highest performance, reaching 58.6 V, 5.7 μA, and 54.6 μW (34.1 mW/m2). SEM confirms uniform dispersion at this concentration, while PL indicates increased charge-trapping sites. Higher GO content leads to agglomeration and reduced performance. The output strongly depends on humidity, with voltage and current increasing as relative humidity decreases from 70–75% to 60%, due to reduced charge dissipation. The device powers 37 LEDs at higher humidity and ~ 60 LEDs at lower humidity, and demonstrates stable capacitor charging. Unlike complex hybrid systems, this work establishes a direct relationship between GO dispersion, charge trapping, and triboelectric performance. These results demonstrate that controlled GO incorporation and environmental conditions provide an effective strategy for improving TENG performance and enabling practical self-powered systems. This work goes beyond previous studies by explicitly linking GO-induced defect states and interfacial polarization to humidity-dependent charge retention mechanisms.