Design and performance optimization of a layered rotational polymer–metal triboelectric nanogenerator as an enhanced energy harvester

The need for sustainable energy solutions has driven research into energy harvesting technologies, and triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offer an effective means of converting mechanical energy into electricity. This study presents a novel friction-based rotating triboelectric nanogenerator (FR-TENG) that employs a layered polymer-metal configuration in a sliding, freestanding mode. The apparatus comprises five vertically aligned FR-TENG units connected in parallel, thereby improving electrical output. The single-unit FR-TENG generates a peak open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 116-131 V and a short-circuit current (Isc) of 7.4-10.5 μA at 200 rpm. The stacked configuration significantly enhances performance, yielding a 145% increase in Voc output and up to a 240% rise in current output, achieving a maximum of 285 V and 27.6 μA at 200 rpm. The optimized combination of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and copper enhances charge-transfer efficiency, with segmentation and surface-area modifications further improving performance. The generated energy suffices to power LEDs, demonstrating the viability of self-sustaining electronic applications. This study presents a systematic approach to improve TENG efficiency by optimizing material selection and device design, thereby facilitating scalable energy-harvesting solutions for IoT and low-power electronic applications.