A flexible PI/MXene triboelectric nanogenerator for energy harvesting and motion monitoring in table tennis

Electrospun materials are ideal substrates for wearable devices, offering high surface area, porosity, and mechanical flexibility. A polyimide/MXene (MXene) spinning film and cellulose acetate/polyamide 6 were used to fabricate a triboelectric nanogenerator (PC-TENG) for efficient mechanical energy harvesting. The results identify 5% MXene as the optimal weight fraction, achieving maximum performance by balancing material properties for enhanced energy conversion. The PC-TENG achieves a peak power output of 1.16 mW at an optimal load resistance of 10 MΩ. While the open-circuit voltage (VOC, ∼105 V) and transferred charge (QSC, ∼63.14 nC) remain stable across 2–6 Hz, the short-circuit current (ISC) increases significantly from 14.91 μA at 2 Hz to 41.41 μA at 6 Hz. A strong linear correlation between applied force and output performance is observed, with VOC rising from 63.41 V at 10 N to 148.14 V at 50 N, ISC from 7.31 to 17.98 μA, and QSC from 29.69 to 69.73 nC, demonstrating the device’s potential for precise force sensing. Integration into a table tennis paddle highlights its applicability in real-time sports monitoring, while its frequency-responsive current output underscores adaptability to dynamic sensing scenarios. This research demonstrates the PC-TENG’s potential for efficient energy harvesting and dynamic sensing, offering innovative solutions for self-powered devices and monitoring systems.