Improvement in the Electrical Performance of Poly(ethylene oxide) Nanofiber-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators by Introducing Sodium Chloride

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as a promising alternative energy source. However, their practical application faces challenges related to insufficient electrical performance. In this study, we proposed a facile approach to improve the performance of TENGs by incorporating sodium chloride (NaCl) into poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) nanofibers. The introduction of NaCl into the PEO polymer matrix resulted in the fabrication of thinner electrospun nanofibers, which increased the effective contact area and, thus, improved the dielectric properties. The TENG with an optimal NaCl content of 1 wt % generated the output voltage, short-circuit current, and transferred charge of 358 V, 2.9 μA, and 72.1 nC, respectively, which are approximately 3.3, 2.5, and 1.6 times the output of the pristine TENG. The TENG exhibited stable and consistent performance, indicating its potential as a reliable energy source for diverse applications. When attached to the human body, the TENGs demonstrated the capability of harvesting electrical energy from daily activities, such as walking or clapping. Moreover, the TENG showed clear and distinguishable outputs in accordance with the contact force, indicating its potential applicability as a pressure sensor.