Soft Ball‐Based Triboelectric–Electromagnetic Hybrid Nanogenerators for Wave Energy Harvesting

Abstract Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) provides a new cost‐effective strategy to harvest water wave energy due to the broad options of triboelectric materials and the high efficiency in low‐frequency energy harvesting. Here, a new triboelectric–electromagnetic hybrid nanogenerator (TEHG) consisting of a soft ball‐based triboelectric nanogenerator (SB‐TENG) and an electromagnetic generator (EMG) is reported for harvesting wave energy. The soft balls are utilized as one triboelectric layer to increase the contact area with the copper electrodes. The critical parameters that may affect the energy harvesting performance of the SB‐TENG are investigated, including the type of the filled liquids, the thickness of the silicone shell, the number of layers, and the added soft balls. Under an operating frequency of 1 Hz, the SB‐TENG and the EMG can reach a maximum output peak power of 0.5 and 8.5 mW, respectively. The TEHG has been demonstrated to power dozens of light‐emitting diodes and drives a digital temperature sensor to monitor the water temperature for an extended period. This study provides a new design and approach to improve the output performance of TENGs and presents an excellent prospect for building a self‐powered water‐sensing system driven by low‐frequency water waves.