Work

Taking charge off droplets: Introducing the multi-point electrode TENG

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Droplet triboelectric nanogenerators (D-TENGs) offer a promising route for ambient energy harvesting, yet their efficiency remains limited by poorly understood and suboptimal charge transfer mechanisms. Here, we introduce a novel point electrode design (P-TENG) that decouples the surface electrode from the dielectric, enabling systematic investigation and optimisation of charge dynamics. Compared to conventional droplet electrode generators (DEGs), the P-TENG exhibits a 315 % increase in peak power and a 519 % increase in energy output. Through extensive experimentation combined with analytical modelling, we demonstrate that electrode placement, droplet dynamics, and surface charge gradients significantly influence charge transfer efficiency. Extending this architecture to a two-electrode configuration (2P-TENG), we show that introducing a heterogeneous dielectric interface, combining PDMS and PLA, amplifies spatial charge variation and enhances charge transfer. This increases the charge recovery by 81.6 % compared to its single electrode equivalent. Our results reveal that engineered dielectric ‘imperfections’ can outperform uniform surfaces, offering a new strategy for scalable, high-efficiency TENG designs. These insights lay the foundation for future multi-material, multi-electrode droplet-based TENGs tailored for practical energy harvesting applications.

Source: Chemical Engineering Journal

DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2025.170191

Authors: Oli Prendergast, Giulio Fatti, Andrew Holmes, Tom Reddyhoff

Institution: Imperial College London

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,830