Improvement of dielectric layers to increase the efficiency of nanofiber-based triboelectric nanogenerators

Electronic devices are becoming increasingly common in modern fibere, and therefore the demand for energy and the search for new alternative energy sources are constantly increasing. Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENG) are energy conversion technologies that convert mechanical movements into electrical energy with electrostatic principles and are promising for use in self-powered electronic devices in the near future. The amount of instantaneous power obtained from TENGs today is low and their energy efficiency needs to be increased for their widespread use in daily fibere. Nanofiber dielectrics are materials that provide more effective contact surfaces for triboelectric interactions. The increased effective surface area strengthens charge transfer, thereby improving electrical energy production. In addition, the triboelectric properties of TENGs can be significantly improved by doping certain materials. In nanofiber-based dielectric layers, it is possible to optimize triboelectric performance and achieve higher energy conversion efficiency by adjusting factors such as doping rates and material types. Another important advantage of nanofibers is that they are light and therefore require minimal mechanical force to initiate charge transfer during contact. These advantages enable nanofiber-based TENGs to operate efficiently even under low-frequency vibrations or small movements. This study explores the role of carbide additive to the positive dielectric layer to improve the efficiency of nanofiber-based TENGs. Carbide doped PVP and undoped PAN were used as positive and negative layers, respectively, in different weight ratios in TENGs used in the experiments. Doped PVPs and PAN were converted into nanofibers using elektrospin technology. SEM and AFM analyzes of the produced nanofibers were performed. To analyze the triboelectric properties, electrical measurements of TENGs produced from PVP with varying carbide additive ratios (1%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%) were made. According to the results obtained, TENGs produced by using 2.5% carbide doped PVP nanofibers give the highest power output. The electrical power output of TENGs increases up to 2.5% carbide additives and then gradually decreases. The findings obtained in this study have important implications for the development of TENGs, which are a sustainable energy production tool for increasing energy demand.