Engineering Materials at the Nanoscale for Triboelectric Nanogenerators

Taking advantage of the coupling effect of contact electrification and electrostatic induction, triboelectric nanogenerators can effectively convert various forms of ambient mechanical energy into electricity, and therefore have attracted much attention, with broad applications in energy harvesting, active sensing, and biomedical therapy, which are anticipated to be an indispensable component in the era of the Internet of things. To improve the mechanical-to-electrical conversion, various strategies have been reported to engineer the materials used at the nanoscale with physical, chemical, biological, and hybrid approaches. These strategies to enhance the output performance and extend the applications of triboelectric nanogenerators are comprehensively reviewed and summarized in this article. Furthermore, perspectives are also discussed in depth, with an emphasis on future research directions to further advance developments within the field.