Output Enhancement of a 3D Printed Triboelectric Nanogenerator Using Laser Surface 3D Patterning

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have gained considerable attention for harnessing and converting low frequency mechanical energy into electrical energy. Methodologies for development of TENGs are evolving from manual traditional fabrication to advanced three‐dimensional (3D) printing technology. Enhancement of surface charge production of TENGs by increasing the contact area is a pivotal challenge. Surface patterning of triboelectric layers is an effective approach for improving the surface area and charge production. This study initially investigates the performance of contact separation and sliding modes of TENGs using COMSOL Multiphysics simulation environment. Output analysis is performed to identify the best material combination and surface patterns for triboelectric layers. Polyamide 12 (PA12) and Vero clear pair outperformed all tested 3D printable triboelectric materials in simulation environment. The output performance of a plain surface TENG is then compared with square, rectangular and pyramid patterned TENGs. The pyramid pattern emerged as the most efficient geometry, demonstrating a solid output of 95.8V Voc and 0.99 µA Isc. Advanced 3D printing techniques including powder based multi jet fusion (MJF) and resin‐based poly jet fusion (PJF) are utilized to print PA12 and Veroclear, respectively. Laser surface patterning (LSP) technique is used to make precise micropatterns on the surfaces of the Veroclear and PA12 layers, resulting in a consistent and effective surface morphology that enhances the surface area of triboelectric layers, and outperforms traditional approaches of patterning in consistency and efficacy. The validation of simulation results is made where the pyramid pattern is emerged as the most efficient geometry experimentally. Performance was maintained with minimal degradation after 102 cycles, and a 22µF‐63V capacitor was successfully used to store the generated charge. This study not only sets the path for pre‐experimental analysis using simulation environment, but also provides a clear demonstration of advanced manufacturing techniques for printing and patterning 3D printed triboelectric materials.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.<p></p>