Superhydrophobic cellulosic triboelectric materials for distributed energy harvesting

The development of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) has made it possible to collect large-scale distributed energy, and their applications in the field of energy harvesting are promising. However, the erosion of water molecules in humid environments is a major challenge limiting the application of triboelectric materials. In this study, superhydrophobic methylated cellulosic triboelectric materials were prepared and rectangular TENG with an internal grid structure was designed for distributed energy harvesting. Interfacial modification of the cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) surface by silica nanoparticles to form a nanoscale microstructured surface further enhances the hydrophobicity of the triboelectric material. It was found that the modified CNF triboelectric material has excellent super-hydrophobicity (WCA: 154.7°), surface roughness (RMS: 72.61), and low surface energy. In addition, the RT-TENG internal grid structure is designed to allow external impact forces to be applied more uniformly to the surface of the f triboelectric material, demonstrating excellent electrical output performance (120 V) and cycling stability (10,000 cycles) when applied to distributed energy harvesting. This study provides a novel strategy for the design and preparation of superhydrophobic triboelectric materials and guides the study of distributed energy harvesting.