Current-Enhanced Tribovoltaic Nanogenerators Based on Dynamic Schottky Junctions Using SWCNT-Induced Local...

Direct-current tribovoltaic nanogenerators (DC-TVNGs) based on dynamic semiconductor junctions can generate electrical output without external rectification. However, their scalable application is constrained by the substantial decrease in current output with increasing device dimensions. Here, we introduce single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) into a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS)/aluminum (Al) dynamic Schottky junction to establish an SWCNT-induced local electric-field effect for enhanced tribovoltaic current generation. The optimized centimeter-scale SWCNT-PEDOT/Al device delivers a short-circuit current of 235 μA, an open-circuit voltage of 1.44 V, and a maximum power density of 169.2 mW m-2 at a load resistance of 30 kΩ. The incorporation of SWCNTs plays a dual role by establishing an interconnected conductive network that facilitates carrier transport and creating nanoscale protrusions that form electrically active local contacts at the dynamic interface, providing the structural basis for the proposed SWCNT-induced local electric-field effect. Correlative AFM and c-AFM mapping further reveal that SWCNT-associated nanoscale protrusions coincide with localized high-current regions, demonstrating their distinct local electrical activity and establishing a clear correlation between nanoscale morphology and local electrical response. Through systematic investigations of operating parameters, including sliding velocity and normal pressure, the device performance was further optimized, enabling efficient capacitor charging and the direct illumination of LEDs. This work demonstrates an effective strategy for enhancing tribovoltaic current output through the SWCNT-induced local electric-field effect and provides a promising route toward high-current DC-TVNGs for scalable mechanical energy harvesting.