Moon Regolith Simulant-Based All-3D-Printed Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Effective Mechanical Energy Conversion

Sustained human activity on the Moon will require energy systems that can be manufactured directly from lunar materials, avoiding the mass and cost constraints of transporting devices from the Earth. Here, we demonstrate a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) fabricated using a lunar regolith (LR) simulant as an active triboelectric component through a scalable 3D-printing strategy. LR incorporation significantly enhances charge generation in LR/PLA (poly-(lactic acid)) composite electrodes by modifying surface properties and increasing effective contact electrification. Multiple electrode architectures were evaluated to optimize performance, with the best design delivering an open-circuit voltage of ∼17.4 (±0.4) V and a short-circuit current of ∼0.96 (±0.2) μA at 10 Hz for a 20 × 30 mm device. The prototype is capable of real-scale power demonstrations, validating its practical utility. This work introduces a viable route for in situ resource utilization and 3D printing to establish LR-based triboelectric devices as a promising approach for energy autonomy in future lunar habitats.