Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) convert mechanical energy from surface friction induced by motions into electrical energy through contact electrification and electrostatic induction. These devices harvest energy from materials with different electron affinities to power small electronics and sensors [1]. Our research group at Mid Sweden University demonstrated that regenerated cellulose (R-cellulose) films are a suitable tribomaterial due to their high positive triboelectric charge density [2,3]. This study focuses on further boosting the TENG power output by adding graphene to cellulose, making composites. The idea is based on the bulk modification of R-cellulose films to increase the dielectric constant and enhance their triboelectric output.In brief, cellulose pulp was dissolved in a water-based solution containing 4.6 wt.% LiOH and 15 wt.% urea. The solution was first frozen and then thawed to -12 °C. After this, 4.0 wt.% cellulose pulp was added and mixed using a propeller stirrer at 1200 rpm for 10 minutes. This freeze-thaw and mixing process was repeated twice more and finally centrifuged. Graphene was mixed separately in the LiOH/urea solution using a high shear exfoliator. Procedure was completed by adding graphene dispersion into the R-cellulose solution to obtain different graphene concentrations, film casting, regeneration of films in ethanol for two hours, washing in Milli-Q water for 3 days, and finally, drying at 93°C by a Rapid-Köthen.R-cellulose films show main crystalline diffraction peaks at angles (2θ) about 12.5, 20, and 22° confirming the cellulose II allomorph structure. Since graphene composites display a strong reflection around 26° (2θ) and a weaker peak near 55° (2θ) in the 50 wt.% sample, this indicates composite formation.Increasing the graphene content enhances the TENG power output, reaching a maximum at around 20 wt.% (more than 35% improvement). Beyond this concentration, a turning point is observed – possibly due to a percolation threshold.
WWSC is a joint research center between KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Chalmers University of Technology and Linköping University. The base is a donation from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The Swedish industry is supporting WWSC via the platform Treesearch.
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