Boron minerals with different crystal structures as performance manipulators in triboelectric nanogenerators

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are energy generation devices that naturally convert mechanical movements into electrical energy through both triboelectric and electrostatic effects. The electricity generation capacity of silicone/boron minerals-based composite and glass fiber-based vertical contact separation mode TENGs enhances by adjusting the triboelectrification characteristics by embedding natural boron minerals (NBO) such as borax, colemanite, and ulexite additives. Considering the generated voltages, the NBO-doped silicone and glass fiber-based TENGs offer the maximum performance with 2.5 wt% borax, 7.5 wt% colemanite, and 5 wt% ulexite. The highest power density of corresponding NBO-doped silicone glass fiber TENGs finds as 25.4, 26.03, and 32.03 W m−2, respectively. This work demonstrates that using boron significantly improves the TENG's power and charging capacities fabricated with silicone and glass fiber. Thus, the clean and safe generation of energy will contribute to the reduction of fossil fuel consumption and help protect the environment.