Sustainable Triboelectric Nanogenerators: Natural Fillers-PVA Composites for Energy Generation and Chemical Sensing

The waste-to-sustainable energy concept offers a sustainable pathway for converting waste materials into usable green energy. It is a highly efficient technology that uses a variety of waste materials to convert chaotic environmental energy into green electricity that can be used in a variety of applications. This study explores the potential of biorecyclable materials as triboactive composites integrated into triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) for efficient energy conversion. By utilizing biodegradable polymer and biocompatible natural fillers (NFs) such as Aloe barbadensis (AB), Sapindus Mukorossi (SM), Elettaria cardamomum (EC), Jatropha curcas (JC), Glycine max (GM), and Tamarindus indica (TI), husk powder is incorporated into the PVA polymer matrix. The prepared composites exhibit enhanced triboelectric performance while minimizing the environmental impact. The morphological, elemental, and chemical interactions of NF@PVA composites are studied using various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The obtained NF@PVA composites were employed as an electroactive layer for the fabrication of a TENG. The electrical characterizations and stability are evaluated for the as-fabricated NF@PVA TENGs. Interestingly, the TI@PVA-TENG exhibited maximum output performance, approximately 12 times higher voltage, and 24 times higher current compared to the pristine PVA-TENG. Furthermore, the TI@PVA TENGs demonstrate practical applications, such as charging commercially available capacitors and powering 60 LEDs. Additionally, TI@PVA-TENG is utilized as a chemical sensor to detect chemical gases such as NO x and CO 2 . Thus, the present work paves the way for advancing green energy technologies and ecoconscious sensor systems.