Device physics and application prospect of the emerging high-voltage supply technology arising from triboelectric nanogenerator

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), a burgeoning renewable energy technology, constitutes a promising candidate for converting mechanical energy from the surrounding environment into electrical energy. With its high voltage and low current, TENG offers a host of advantages such as portability, self-powered capability, safety, output controllability, high integration and human-machine interaction. As a result, TENG has engendered transformative developments as an emerging high voltage power source across a spectrum of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, and medicine. The aim of this review is to expound on the fundamental theory, physical device models, and high voltage output characteristics of TENG. The discussion encompasses diverse methods for enhancing the output of TENG, comparisons of TENG with conventional high voltage sources, and a categorization of TENG applications into four primary domains: therapeutic electrical stimulation, environmental governance, force-electricity-optical information coupling, and biochemical analysis. Ultimately, this review illuminates key challenges and future research priorities that are essential for propelling the advancement of TENG as a high voltage power source.