Few layer MoS2 and in situ poled PVDF nanofibers on low cost paper substrate as high performance piezo-triboelectric hybrid nanogenerator: Energy harvesting from handwriting and human touch

Abstract Even though batteries have long been considered as the most conventional and efficient technology to power electronic devices, they have limited lifetime and monitoring and replacing them is a never ending task. In order to address this challenge, nanogenerators based on nanomaterials have been developed with the latest advancement being fabricating novel multi mechanism based nanogenerators which employ both piezoelectric and triboelectric nanogenerators to not only miniaturize the system but also to obtain high voltage outputs to power a wide range of devices. In this report, few layer MoS2 was grown on cellulose paper by hydrothermal method followed by the deposition of in situ poled PVDF nanofibers by electrospinning to fabricate piezo-triboelectric hybrid nanogenerator to harvest energy from simple manual activities like handwriting and human touch. The hybrid nanogenerator combined with independent bridge rectifiers generated peak voltage of ∼50 V, short circuit current of 30 nA and average power of 0.18 mW/cm2 which is remarkable and even better than most nanogenerators fabricated using sophisticated and complex cleanroom processes. Further, this report is the first demonstration of solution processed few layer MoS2 to be utilized as piezoelectric nanogenerator. The work presented here is beyond harvesting energy and opens up avenues for developing low cost paper based nanogenerators that generate electricity from simple daily life activities and is an excellent alternative to power wearable electronic devices from manual activities.