Enhancing the Output Performance of Triboelectric Nanogenerator Based on Soft‐Contact Coaxial Double‐Rotation Structure

Abstract As a promising energy technology, triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has garnered wide attention across various fields. The rotating structure‐based TENG exhibits superior output performance and energy conversion efficiency. However, further improvement is required in terms of output performance, and the issue of serious friction and wear between the materials in the friction layer needs to be addressed. In this work, A coaxial double‐rotation soft‐contact material based TENG (DR‐TENG) with characteristics of low wear and high output is fabricated. The introduction of soft‐contact material reduces frictional resistance and material wear, while the design and optimization of double‐rotation structures further enhance the output performance of TENG. The output current of DR‐TENG using rabbit furs as friction material can reach 144 µA after rectification. Experimental results demonstrate the excellent power supply capability of DR‐TENG. The output of DR‐TENG can be used to power commercial electronic devices after being stored by capacitance. The DR‐TENG is successfully applied for cathodic protection. The outcomes reveal that the open‐circuit potential of Q235 carbon steel can be reduced by 500 mV, which has a remarkable anti‐corrosion effect. These results confirm the broad application prospects of TENG in metal corrosion protection.