Boosted triboelectric output performance in g-C₃N₄ embedded P(VDF-TrFE) composite via a coupling of photocarrier and ferroelectric dipole

Innovative material design is one of the most plausible routes to sufficiently enhance triboelectric outputs for self-powered electronic devices. Herein, we reported a g-C₃N₄ embedded P(VDF-TrFE) composite as a strong candidate for boosting the output power via simultaneous harvesting of mechanical and light energies. Visible light-responsive g-C₃N₄ nanosheets are chemically bonded to the ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE) polymer and increase the ferroelectric polarization and dielectric constant of the composite. Kelvin probe force microscopy and photoluminescence measurements reveal that the enhanced triboelectric output is related to the increased workfunction, the reduced recombination rate of electron-hole pairs, and the band bending-induced photocarrier movement. The up-poled g-C₃N₄@P(VDF-TrFE) composite-based photoactive triboelectric nanogenerator (PA-TENG) generates a power (power density) of 2.0 mW (0.125 mW/cm²) under a blue light illumination, which is 10 times larger than PA-TENG under a dark condition and 54 times larger than bare P(VDF-TrFE)-based TENG. The output power is continued for at least up to 1.5 months in ambient conditions and is enough to power light-emitting diodes, a thermo-hygrometer, and a digital watch, which would be quite useful for individuals in the dark underground. This work provides a novel approach to boost the triboelectric output via a coupling of photocarrier and ferroelectric dipole and a useful hint to realize self-powered small electronics for safety issues in dark environments like caves and tunnels.