Customizing alternating and direct current dual-mode solid-liquid triboelectric nanogenerator

A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) becomes a potential efficient technology for harvesting high-entropy energy. In particular, the dual-mode TENG has flexible output characteristics and wide application value. Herein, an alternating and direct current switchable dual-mode solid-liquid TENG is proposed (SD-TENG). More importantly, the SD-TENG ingeniously integrates three different TENG operating mechanisms in a single device. For the first time, contact electrification, electrostatic induction and charge leakage were coupled to develop a solid-liquid direct current TENG (DC-TENG). This work provides insights into the design of the solid-liquid DC-TENG and provides a new scheme for the dual-mode TENG. Furthermore, the SD-TENG can harvest wave energy to power small electronic devices with or without a rectifier unit such as LED beads, an electronic watch, and a calculator. Notably, the SD-TENG can also achieve self-powered electrochemical metal corrosion protection driven by the wave energy. This is of great significance for the development and potential application of an advanced TENG.