A high-performance low-cost triboelectric nanogenerator enabled by biomass-derived carbon in PVDF nanofibers

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) are highly promising for wearable and self-powered electronics, yet their practical application is often impeded by a trade-off between performance and cost. Herein, we present a facile strategy to achieve high output performance and low material cost by incorporating biomass-derived carbon (BC), fabricated from abundant corn silk, into electrospun PVDF nanofibers. The optimized BC/PVDF nanofiber-based TENG delivers exceptional electrical outputs, with an open-circuit voltage of 399 V and a short-circuit current of 17 µA, which are 439% and 286% enhancements of its pure PVDF counterpart, and outputs a maximum power density of 0.92 W m^-2, which is a benchmark among previously reported PVDF-based TENGs. This dramatic improvement stems from the synergistic effect of the BC filler, which boosts the composite's dielectric constant and increases the effective contact area. We further demonstrate the practical utility of our device by using it to charge a capacitor to power a calculator and by directly driving arrays of up to 85 light-emitting diodes. This work not only provides a high-performance TENG but also establishes an economically viable pathway for next-generation energy harvesting technologies.