TY - JOUR
T1 - Harnessing Enhanced Tribo-Polarity via Dual-Sized, Highly Interconnected Electrospun CA-PVP Hybrid Membrane for High-Output TENGs
AU - Preethikumar, Gopika
AU - Babu, Aswathy
AU - Kumar, Charchit
AU - Aliyana, Akshaya Kumar
AU - Sudheesh, Cherakkathodi
AU - Mohamed, A. Peer
AU - Mulvihill, Daniel M.
AU - Pillai, Suresh C.
AU - Pillai, Saju
PY - 2026/1/21
Y1 - 2026/1/21
N2 - Environmentally benign cellulose fiber membranes have emerged as promising materials for triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) applications. However, they exhibit inherent dimensional instability and face several operational challenges. Herein, we report a mechanically robust electrospun hybrid membrane composed of cellulose acetate (CA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) that functions effectively as a tribo-positive layer in TENG. Microscopic analysis revealed dual-sized, linearly aligned thicker fibers and an interconnected network of thinner fiber morphologies upon blending with the 16 wt % CA and 6 wt % PVP (labeled as CP-6). The presence of PVP enhanced the polarity, whereas the interconnected fiber architecture of the hybrid membrane imparted a tensile strength of 10.30 MPa and thermal stability up to 450 °C. The TENG fabricated using the CP-6 layer and polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) counter layer exhibited an open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 150 V, a current of 16.3 μA, and a peak power density of 1243 mW/m2. The developed TENG based on the electrospun CA-PVP blend demonstrated remarkable flexibility, structural integrity, and mechanical and thermal stabilities. The device demonstrated multifunctionality by efficiently collecting energy, powering LEDs, and being employed as a touch sensor. Our method offers a simple way to produce cellulose-based hybrid electrospun membranes, ensuring, sustainability, scalability, sturdiness and durability for self-powered wearable sensor electronics.
AB - Environmentally benign cellulose fiber membranes have emerged as promising materials for triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) applications. However, they exhibit inherent dimensional instability and face several operational challenges. Herein, we report a mechanically robust electrospun hybrid membrane composed of cellulose acetate (CA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) that functions effectively as a tribo-positive layer in TENG. Microscopic analysis revealed dual-sized, linearly aligned thicker fibers and an interconnected network of thinner fiber morphologies upon blending with the 16 wt % CA and 6 wt % PVP (labeled as CP-6). The presence of PVP enhanced the polarity, whereas the interconnected fiber architecture of the hybrid membrane imparted a tensile strength of 10.30 MPa and thermal stability up to 450 °C. The TENG fabricated using the CP-6 layer and polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) counter layer exhibited an open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 150 V, a current of 16.3 μA, and a peak power density of 1243 mW/m2. The developed TENG based on the electrospun CA-PVP blend demonstrated remarkable flexibility, structural integrity, and mechanical and thermal stabilities. The device demonstrated multifunctionality by efficiently collecting energy, powering LEDs, and being employed as a touch sensor. Our method offers a simple way to produce cellulose-based hybrid electrospun membranes, ensuring, sustainability, scalability, sturdiness and durability for self-powered wearable sensor electronics.
KW - sustainable materials
KW - cellulose acetate fibers
KW - electrospun hybrid membrane
KW - polyvinylpyrrolidone
KW - TENGs
U2 - 10.1021/acsaenm.5c00938
DO - 10.1021/acsaenm.5c00938
M3 - Article
SN - 2771-9545
JO - ACS Applied Engineering Materials
JF - ACS Applied Engineering Materials
ER -