Sustainable Energy Generation from Recycled Household Waste: A Low-cost and Facile Rubber and Cardboard based Triboelectric Nanogenerator

The escalating global issue of municipal solid waste poses a significant threat to both the environment and human well-being. Recycling facilities are limited, and landfills are rapidly accumulating discarded materials, leading to environmental degradation and the release of greenhouse gases. Concurrently, the demand for sustainable power sources remains a critical challenge due to frequent replacement of conventional batteries and increasing demand of portable electronics. To cater this challenge, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) present a promising alternative power source through energy harvesting. In this study, we propose an approach to address both waste management and energy generation concerns by introducing a low-cost TENG, utilizing recycled household materials, like rubber and cardboard. The rubber and cardboard-based triboelectric nanogenerator (RCB-TENG) harnesses the potential of readily available household waste, making it a cost-effective, and facile solution for generating electrical energy to power portable electronics. RCB-TENG can produce V
oc
, I
sc
and maximum output power of 11.13 V, 3.2 μA and 4.096 μW, respectively. Through this endeavour, we aim to contribute towards the sustainable mitigation of municipal solid waste while simultaneously providing a practical solution for sustainable energy generation.