Force-assembled triboelectric nanogenerator with high-humidity-resistant electricity generation using hierarchical surface morphology

We introduce a novel, robust, cost-effective, and scalable approach for the preparation of a large-area force-assembled triboelectric nanogenerator (FTENG), which allows a stable and high electric output under a wide range of humidity conditions through its dual-sized morphology (i.e., microstructures and nanostructures). In this study, hexagonally packed colloidal arrays prepared by a force assembly approach rather than by conventional self assembly were used as a mold for a triboelectric poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) replica with desired pattern shapes (intaglio and embossed structures) and sizes. The morphological size of the PDMS films was determined by the diameter of the force-assembled colloids. The electrical output performance of FTENGs composed of electrodes and a PDMS film increased substantially as the size of the micropores (for intaglio-structured PDMS) or embossed features (for embossed-structured PDMS) decreased. Furthermore, the triboelectric PDMS film with micro-/nanosized features (i.e., dual-embossed PDMS) displayed a remarkable electrical output of 207 V (open-circuit voltage under a compressive force of 90 N in relative humidity (RH) of 20%) and high hydrophobicity compared to that of PDMS films with flat, intaglio or embossed structures. This device maintained a high electric output even in a high-humidity environment (i.e., open-circuit output voltage similar to 175 V in RH 80%). Our approach using force-assembly and hierarchical surface morphology will provide a novel and effective framework for developing strong power sources in various self-powered electronics. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.