Triboelectric nanogenerators and supercapacitors based on biowaste-derived porous carbon for efficient energy harvesting and storage
Xin Hou, Penggang Ren, Zhengzheng Guo, Wenhui Tian, Yilan Wang, Baoli Fan, Hongtao Chen, Zhengyan Chen, Yanling Jin
Abstract
The integration of supercapacitors (SCs) and triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offers a promising frontier for the developing of self-powered wearable electronics . However, conventional systems often rely on incompatible materials and fabrication processes for energy harvesting and storage units, leading to manufacturing complexity and compromised flexibility. Herein, a sustainable and integrated self-powered system is developed using biomass-derived porous carbon as a dual-functional electrode material. Benefiting from its hierarchical porosity , heteroatom doping , and microscale surface roughness , the carbon material not only facilitates rapid ion transport for SCs but also enhances triboelectric charge generation and retention for TENGs. By leveraging scalable screen-printing technology, flexible all-solid-state SCs and TENGs are seamlessly integrated into a single device, achieving a high specific capacitance of 367.2 F/g at 1 A/g and stable energy harvesting with an open-circuit voltage of 20 V and short-circuit current of 0.10 μA. Furthermore, the scalable output signals allow the device to function as a self-powered sensor for detecting gaits, recognizing actions, and monitoring finger movements. The proposed integrated energy storage and conversion system provides valuable insights into the development of self-powered systems employing biomass-derived porous carbon .