An Investigation of the Output Performances of a Triboelectric Nanogenerator Lubricated with TiO2-Doped Oleic Acid

In the past decade, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have attracted significant attention across various fields due to their compact size, light weight, high output voltage, versatile shapes, and strong compatibility. However, substantial wear at solid-solid contact interfaces presents a major obstacle to the electrical output stability of TENGs. The objective of this study is to investigate the output performances of TENGs lubricated with TiO2-doped oleic acid. The results suggest that the triboelectrical performances of the polyimide (PI) film sliding against a steel ball under 0.1 wt% TiO2-doped oleic acid are significantly improved compared to those under dry conditions; the growth rates are 35.2%, 103.6, and 85.6%, respectively. Moreover, the coefficient of friction dropped from 0.31 to 0.066. The wear and performance enhancement mechanism are also analyzed. This study provides an effective approach to improve both the electrical performances and tribological behaviors.