Improved Triboelectric Nanogenerator Output Performance through Polymer Nanocomposites Filled with Core–shell-Structured Particles

Core–shell-structured BaTiO3–poly­(tert-butyl acrylate) (PtBA) nanoparticles are successfully prepared by in situ atom transfer radical polymerization of tert-butyl acrylate (tBA) on BaTiO3 nanoparticle surface. The thickness of the PtBA shell layer could be controlled by adjusting the feed ratio of tBA to BaTiO3. The BaTiO3–PtBA nanoparticles are introduced into poly­(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix to form a BaTiO3–PtBA/PVDF nanocomposite. The nanocomposites keep the flexibility of the PVDF matrix with enhanced dielectric constant (∼15@100 Hz) because of the high permittivity of inorganic particles and the ester functional groups in the PtBA. Furthermore, the BaTiO3–PtBA/PVDF nanocomposites demonstrate the inherent small dielectric loss of the PVDF matrix in the tested frequency range. The high electric field dielectric constant of the nanocomposite film was investigated by polarization hysteresis loops. The high electric field effective dielectric constant of the nanocomposite is 26.5 at 150 MV/m. The output current density of the nanocomposite-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is 2.1 μA/cm2, which is above 2.5 times higher than the corresponding pure PVDF-based TENG.