Boosting the Output Performance of the Triboelectric Nanogenerator through the Nonlinear Oscillator

The rapid development of the internet of things and autonomous vehicles requires plenty of sensors to monitor environmental conditions continuously. Hence, the high energy density and reliable power supply are demanded. The nonlinear oscillator has been widely utilized to enhance the output performance of piezoelectric and electromagnetic energy harvesters, which can operate in high-energy orbits under proper excitation frequencies. Here, the nonlinear oscillator-based triboelectric nanogenerator (NL-TENG) is proposed based on the grating structure. The mechanism to boost the output of the NL-TENG is analyzed and discussed with an electromechanical coupling model proposed, and the impacts of excitation frequency, external resistance, and spring stiffness were investigated. The peak power of the fabricated NL-TENG is 22 mW, which is 3 times enlarged compared to the traditional linear configuration. Furthermore, the stable and continuous power output of up to 244 W/m3 is demonstrated, which can power a calculator and a large quantity of light-emitting diodes persistently. This study presents a new perspective to boost the output of the TENG by utilizing the benefits from the nonlinear oscillator.