Biomimetic Breathable Surfaces for Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Energy Harvesting

This work presents a flexible, bioinspired triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that harnesses the unique microfractal architecture of natural leaf skeletons to enhance energy harvesting performance. By integrating leaf skeletons coated with metal nanowires as current collectors with biomimetic tribopositive Nylon 6 and tribonegative PVDF layers, the resulting biomimetic TENG offers significantly improved charge generation, higher output power density, and excellent mechanical durability. The intrinsic hierarchical and fractal patterns of the leaf skeletons endow the device with both enlarged surface area and enhanced charge carrier density, while simultaneously providing breathable, flexible interfaces ideal for wearable applications. Characterization results demonstrate how these fractal features increase surface roughness, improve contact intimacy, and boost triboelectric charge transfer efficiency under mechanical stimuli. Preliminary tests for body energy harvesting underscore this TENG's potential in sustainable and portable energy solutions. Overall, this study highlights the effectiveness of bioinspired fractal architectures in driving performance improvements ranging from enhanced durability to superior breathability in next-generation triboelectric energy harvesting devices.