Advanced designs for output improvement of triboelectric nanogenerator system

Abstract: The large-scale popularization of 5G mobile network technology accelerates the arrival of modern intelligent society. In this society, billions of distributed sensors are needed as the sense organ for information collection, posing a grand challenge of high precision sensor and distributed power supply. As an emerging technology, triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) can effectively harvest varied environmental low frequency mechanical energy and convert it into electricity with the merits of low cost, environmentally friendliness and strong adaptability, showing a great potential as a distributed power source. However, there is still a distance for its commercial use due to the insufficient function modes and output performance of TENG. Therefore, in order to push forward its commercial process, here we systematically review TENG, from the basic characteristics, improving output performance of alternating current (AC) TENG, working modes of direct current (DC) TENG to effective power management. Besides, we suggest some unified and standardized terminologies on energy efficiency to solve some confusing nomenclature. At last, challenges and future research focus in this field are also predicted to provide a significant guideline for the next stage development of TENG for the research community.