Hybrid nanogenerators based on PVDF/6H-SiC composite film with enhanced mechanical energy utilization efficiency

The flexible polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF)/6H-SiC composite films are fabricated to overcome the natural brittleness of hexagonal SiC. Yet the electrical output of the piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG) based on the composite film needs to be further improved. Here, PENG and hybrid nanogenerator exploiting both triboelectric and piezoelectric effects (T-PENG) based on PVDF/6H-SiC composite films are assembled. The PENG based on the PVDF/15 wt% 6H-SiC composite film shows the open circuit voltage (Voc) of 16.81 V. The T-PENG achieves the bridge rectified voltage of 65.70 and 136.58 V when subjected to the external force of 1.1 and 4.9 N, indicating 3.91 and 7.39 times the output of the PENG under the same force, which is the highest value compared with the reported nanogenerators based on SiC and SiC composites. This work breaks through the limitation of low mechanical energy utilization efficiency of film-based PENG and provides a feasible way to enhance the electrical output of nano power sources.