Breaking the Performance-Durability Trade-off in Triboelectric Nanogenerators with a WS2/PVC Composite for
Kun Zhao1,2, Chaohui Zhang1, Yaping Liu1
1State Key Laboratory of Advanced Processing and Recycling of Nonferrous Metals, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, Gansu 730050, P. R. China.
Abstract:
The output performance and operational lifetime of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are fundamentally limited by mechanical wear. Here, we report a WS2/PVC composite film that simultaneously enhances triboelectric performance and durability by incorporating monolayer-multilayer hybrid tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets into a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix. The optimized 3 wt % WS2/PVC composite film exhibits a 106.7% higher surface potential than that of pure PVC, 22.2% reduction in the friction coefficient, and 46.8% longer wear life. Leveraging this material, we fabricated a rotating disk-type TENG (RS-TENG), which delivered a peak output of 124 V, 212 μA, and 109 nC, achieving a maximum power of 8.44 mW. The device demonstrated exceptional stability over 36,000 cycles and was capable of rapidly charging a 2200 μF capacitor to 5 V within 45 s. As a practical demonstration, the RS-TENG continuously powered a bicycle light and a cycling computer, highlighting its potential for self-powered intelligent transportation. This work provides a generalizable materials strategy for designing high-performance, long-lifetime TENGs by synergistically enhancing surface charge density and wear resistance.
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