Abstract:

Objective In order to enhance the electrical output performance of fabric-based triboelectric nano-generators (TENGs) by addressing the issue of insufficient effective working area due to large fiber diameters, melt-electrospinning technology was utilized to fabricate polypropylene (PP) and polyamide-6 (PA6) filament yarns, because electrospinning, as an efficient fiber fabrication technique, enables the formation of micro/nanoscale polymer fibers through electric field-induced elongation, which have established its pivotal role in developing high-performance TENGs. The work highlights the importance of optimizing fiber structure to improve TENG performance for practical applications in energy harvesting and self-powered wearable electronics.
Method Melt-electrospinning was utilized to fabricate PP and PA6 filament yarns, specifically focusing on precise regulation of fiber diameter through the application of a high-voltage electric field. The filament yarns were then woven with stainless steel yarns to create the TENGs. Performance tests were conducted to evaluate mechanical properties, water contact angle, and electrical output. The electrical performance of TENGs was measured under different pressures and frequencies, and after multiple washing cycles. Commercial PP and PA6 filament yarns were used as a comparison for performance evaluation.
Results The melt-electrospun PP yarns and PA6 filament yarns demonstrated average fiber diameters of 3.84 μm and 12.25 μm, which significantly increased the contact area and enhanced the triboelectric effect. In addition, the PP yarns and PA6 filament yarns exhibited excellent mechanical properties which are suitable for demanding weaving process and practical applications. Compared to TENGs made of commercial yarns, the melt-electrospun filament yarns improved the electrical output performance dramatically. Under the experimental conditions, the TENG made of melt-electrospun PP yarns and PA6 filament yarns produced a voltage of 110 V and a current of 11.4 μA, which are 41 times and 95 times higher than the commercial filament yarn-based TENG, respectively. The TENG also showed stable performance under varying pressures and frequencies. Even after 5 000 s of continuous operation and multiple washing cycles, the electrical output performance did not degrade significantly. Furthermore, the TENG demonstrated a maximum power density of 0.82 W/m² under a 50 MΩ load, with the capability to power microelectronic devices like LEDs and electronic watches, indicating its practical potential for wearable electronics and self-powered systems.
Conclusion Melt-electrospinning is an effective technique for improving the performance of fabric-based triboelectric nanogenerators by reducing fiber diameter and enhancing the triboelectric effect. The results show that the melt-electrospun PP and PA6 filament yarns significantly outperform commercial yarns in terms of triboelectric performance. The TENGs made of these filament yarns exhibit high voltage, current, and power density, along with good long-term stability and resistance to washing. These findings suggest that melt-electrospinning-based fabrics could serve as efficient energy harvesters for wearable electronic devices and self-powered systems. Future work could explore optimizing the process further reducing the fiber diameter to nanoscale and investigating the scalability of this approach for real-world applications.

Key words: melt-electrospinning, polypropylene filament yarn, polyamide-6 filament yarn, triboelectric nanogenerator, energy harvesting