Managing and maximizing the output power of a triboelectric nanogenerator by controlled tip-electrode air-discharging and application for UV sensing

Using a switch has been verified as a promising strategy for managing and enhancing the output performances of a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG). How to design a switch without external triggering is still a challenge. Here, a self-powered air discharge switch with a tip-plate configuration is developed, in which the switch's on/off state is controlled by the voltage of the TENG itself. The electric output of the TENG can be enhanced and modulated by changing the tip-plate distance of the switch. Compared with the same TENG without a switch, the instantaneous power peak and the total output energy on a load resistance lower than 2 M Omega are increased by 1600 times and 31 times, respectively, as the switch works in an arc discharge mode. It is found that the UV light can change the switch from an arc discharge mode to a corona discharge mode, which increases the equivalent resistance of the switch and decreases the output current of the TENG. The current ratio of this UV detector reaches 18.6, and the lowest detectable light intensity is 26.2 mu W/cm(2). Using air discharge switch is a promising route for managing TENG's output power and developing active self-powered UV sensor.