B4C/PVDF-based triboelectric nanogenerator: Achieving high wear-resistance and thermal conductivity

Triboelectric active composites that are built with high thermal conductivity and wear-resistance are of prime importance for the long-term operation of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) in harsh environments. In this paper, it’s demonstrated that the introduction of B4C particles into poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) leads to a thermal conductivity of 0.727 W/(m·k), which is 600 % higher than that of pure PVDF film, and a significant reduction of 39.7 % in the average friction mass loss of the B4C/PVDF. Enhanced anti-corrosion and electrical output performance are also observed, including an open-circuit voltage of 155.4 V, a short-circuit current of 7.9 μA, as well as a maximum output power density of 0.33 W/m2, which are 2.6, 6, and 12 times higher than those of pure PVDF devices, respectively. Interestingly, such a performance grows steadily, rather than degrades, with the operation time, which is sharply differentiated from that observed from other common composites and may be partly ascribed to the roughened surface of the composite film. This work demonstrates an effective strategy for improving the wear resistance and thermal conductivity of the triboelectric material for high-performance energy harvesting and self-powered sensing that are based on BP-TENG for long-term operation.