Enhancing output performance of direct-current triboelectric nanogenerator under controlled atmosphere

Abstract Gas breakdown is a common phenomenon in triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and a core limiting factor for pursuing high performance alternating-current TENG (AC-TENG) arising from contact electrification and electrostatic induction in atmosphere condition, and it is also especially crucial for elevating the output limit of the direct-current TENG (DC-TENG) from contact electrification and dielectric breakdown. Here, we propose a strategy for enhancing the output performance of DC-TENG among a wide range of atmosphere pressure in oxygen. Due to the elevation of both contact electrification and electrostatic breakdown, an oxygen-enhanced DC-TENG under ordinary pressure is realized with an eight-fold output power enhancement than that in atmospheric air. Our findings not only find a new method to enhance the output performance of DC-TENG, but also provide a novel insight of contact electrification from the perspective of gas atmosphere.