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Flexible and transparent triboelectric nanogenerator based on high performance well-ordered porous PDMS dielectric film

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Abstract

A flexible and transparent triboelectric nanogenerator (FT-TENG) has great potential for application in self-powered biosensor systems, electronic skin and wearable electronic devices. However, improving the output performance with little damage to its optical properties is challenging. Herein, we have developed an FT-TENG that has a well-ordered nest-like porous polydimethylsiloxane (NP-PDMS) film and graphene transparent electrodes. The NP-PDMS film with ordered pores is fabricated by hydrochloric acid etching of 500 nm sized ZnO spheres made of aggregated nanoparticles, having a light transmittance of 81.8% and a water contact angle of 118.62°. The FT-TENG based on the NP-PDMS film with a porosity of 12%, gives a maximum output of 271 V and 7.8 μA, which are respectively, 3.7 and 2.1-fold of those of a TENG with a flat PDMS film. The peak output power reaches 0.39 mW with a load resistance of 9.01 MΩ. The dielectric constant and effective thickness of the NP-PDMS film and the capacitance and charge transfer of the FT-TENG are systematically investigated. This work provides a novel and effective method to enhance the performance of FT-TENGs with little damage to their optical properties.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China

    Xianming He & Chenguo Hu

  2. Key Laboratory of Fundamental Science of Micro/Nano-Device and System Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China

    Xianming He, Xiaojing Mu, Quan Wen & Zhiyu Wen

  3. Microsystem Research Center, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China

    Xianming He, Xiaojing Mu, Quan Wen & Zhiyu Wen

  4. Key Laboratory of Multi-Scale Manufacturing Technology, Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China

    Jun Yang & Haofei Shi

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  1. Xianming He
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  2. Xiaojing Mu
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Correspondence to Chenguo Hu or Haofei Shi.

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He, X., Mu, X., Wen, Q. et al. Flexible and transparent triboelectric nanogenerator based on high performance well-ordered porous PDMS dielectric film. Nano Res. 9, 3714–3724 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1242-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1242-3

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