Enhancing\nthe Performance of Fabric-Based Triboelectric\nNanogenerators by Structural and Chemical Modification

Abstract

Fabric-based\ntriboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are promising\ncandidates as wearable energy-harvesting devices and self-powered\nsensors. Booting the power generation performance is an eternal pursuit\nfor TENGs. Herein, an efficient approach was proposed to enhance the\ntriboelectric performance of commercial velvet fabric by enriching\nthe fiber surface with hierarchical structures and amide bonds through\nchemical grafting of carbon nanotube (CNT) and poly­(ethylenimine)\n(PEI) via a polyamidation reaction. With an optimized modifier concentration,\nthe fabric-based TENG easily achieved over 10 times improvement in\noutput voltage and current at a low modifier content of less than\n1 wt %. The modified-fabric-based TENG was fully washable and exhibited\nexcellent robustness and long-term stability. With a maximum power\ndensity of 3.2 W/m² achieved on a 5 × 10⁶ Ω external resistor, the TENG was able to serve as a power\nsource for various small electronics such as pedometer, digital watch,\ncalculator, and digital timer. In addition, the TENG demonstrated\ncapability in self-powered tactile and pressure sensing and promising\npotential in human–computer interface applications. The approach\nproposed provides a feasible path for boosting the triboelectric performance\nof fabric-based TENGs and gives insights into the design of fabric-based\nnanogenerators and smart textiles.