High power and low crest factor of direct-current triboelectric nanogenerator for self-powered optical computing system

Breakthroughs in mechanical energy harvesters have been achieved by using triboelectric nanogenerators as sustainable energy supplies for widely distributed sensors. However, achieving high performance and stable power generation remains a challenge. Herein, we report a discoidal direct-current triboelectric nanogenerator based on the multiple-phase difference coupling principle that allows stable high-efficiency mechanical energy harvesting with a low crest factor. The contribution of the low crest factor is a benefit of the phase difference between the electrode pairs due to the regularly shifted electrical output from each phase. Our study shows that the crest factor of direct-current output is down to 1.07, indicating its outstanding ability to stabilize electricity generation. Moreover, attributed to the soft polyester fur used as the triboelectric material, the device shows decent output performance and durability, achieving a maximum average power of 10.38 mW and little abrasion of tribo-layers after 80 000 rotation cycles. More interestingly, the proposed device could successfully drive the optical computing chip for signal processing, forming a self-powered monitoring system in electromagnetic environments, and demonstrating a promising strategy of sustainable and stable power supply towards self-powered sensing systems. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2023.