Plasticizer structural effect for sustainable and high-performance PVC gel-based triboelectric nanogenerators

A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) produces electrical energy by the accumulation of electric charges when two different materials rub against each other. In this study, the characteristics, and stabilities of adipate PVC gels with different adipate plasticizers were investigated for the development of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) for sustainable energy harvesting. Various plasticizers with different numbers of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain were used to synthesize PVC gels, and their triboelectric properties, permittivities, and electrical conductivities were evaluated. In particular, we investigated the relationship between the surface charge dissipation rate and electrical resistivity of the PVC gel, which can maximize the TENG performance. The DOA5-based PVC gel TENG showed the highest output performance (198 V, 15.6 µA, and 384 µW/cm2) and stable output performance without plasticizer leakage for over 30 days at a high temperature. The developed TENG can be used as a power source for small electronic devices, maintaining a stable and high-output performance with high durability, making it ideal for self-powered systems in harsh environments requiring continuous power supply. [Display omitted] •A high-power and sustainable triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) was developed using adipate plasticizer-based PVC gels.•As the plasticizer's chain length decreased, the permittivity increased, and the triboelectric properties showed more negative.•The resistivity of the triboelectric layer that can maximize the performance of TENG was found to be less than 1.1 MΩ·m.•The DOA PVC-gel TENG was found to stably produce a maximum output of 198 V and 15.6 µA for more than 30 days at 65 ℃.