Bio-based Polyurethane Triboelectric Nanogenerator with Superior Low-Temperature Self-Healing Performance for Unmanned Surveillance

Damaged flexible triboelectric nanogenerators face difficulties in autonomous healing at low temperatures, limiting their application range. Impeded dynamic network reconstruction presents a challenge in developing materials for autonomous low-temperature healing. This study constructed a multi-dynamic network utilizing both strong and weak hydrogen and disulfide bonds to develop a biobased polyurethane elastomer (PBES-U, prepared from biobased monomers such as itaconic acid, sebacic acid, etc.), featuring a cross-linked network capable of cryogenic self-healing, superior toughness, and reprocessability. This elastomer extends to 1100% of its original length, achieving 90% self-healing efficiency at temperatures down to -10 °C due to the low glass transition temperature ( T g , -30 ℃) achieved by modulating the flexibility of chain segments. Consequently, a bio-based TENG (LS-TENG) was produced using this elastomer as a positive friction layer through a dynamic interfacial interlocking method. The results reveal that LS-TENG achieves a notable power density of 12.2   mW/m 2 , an output voltage reaching 160   V, and a 98% output voltage recovery post-low-temperature self-healing. Furthermore, a non-contact LS-TENG-based monitoring system was developed with significant potential for applications in battlefield sensing, wildlife monitoring, and intelligent driving.