TRIBOELECTRIC PERFORMANCE OF NATURAL POLYMERIC COMPOSITES: RECENT ADVANCES, MECHANISMS, AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

Over the past few years, natural polymeric composite materials have become increasingly prevalent as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). The reason why natural polymeric composite materials have become an attractive alternative to conventional materials is because they are reusable, degradable, non-toxic and have a lower environmental impact compared to most synthetic materials. This is a complete review of the performance of natural polymeric composite materials in triboelectric application. Included in this review are a number of types of materials such as: proteins, cellulose, chitosan, silk fibroin, starch, alginate and other types of natural polymeric composite materials. The emphasis of this review will be on the mechanisms by which each type of material generates charge, specifically how the surface chemistry and structure of the material influence the triboelectric activity of the material, [1 - 3]. These are the latest ideas for improving the performance of the tribological activity of the material. The techniques include designing the structure of the material, modifying the surface of the material, incorporating particles to enhance the surface area of the material, and creating composite materials. Researchers have reported some excellent results using these methods. For example, researchers have reported open circuit voltage values ranging from 30 V to over 2500 V, and researchers have reported power density values of up to 760 μW/cm², [4 - 6]. Researchers will explore ways to apply TENG technology to medical equipment, self powered sensors, and energy harvesting. There are several challenges that researchers will have to address before the full potential of sustainable energy technologies can be realized, including sensitivity to moisture, mechanical durability, and scalability. The authors will also discuss some of the promising areas of research to further advance the practical applications of sustainable energy technologies [7 - 9].