Triboelectric generator composed of bulk poly(vinylidene fluoride) and polyethylene polymers for mechanical energy conversion

Abstract

We designed a stable triboelectric generator (TEG) consisting of a new combination of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and polyethylene (PE) films which shows prospect for easy and low cost device fabrication. Both PE and PVDF are selected from the negative side of the triboelectric series considering the difference in charge affinity. An open circuit peak-to-peak output voltage of ∼20 V and current density ∼0.34 A m⁻² were obtained just by striking the TEG manually. The effect of directional forces on the TEG was studied for future anisotropic pressure sensor fabrications. The charging capacity of the TEG was checked by using a commercially available capacitor revealing the prospect of battery charging. Furthermore, the TEG powered at least 12 commercial white light emitting diodes which indicates its potential use as a carbon emission free power source suitable for portable electronic devices.