Exploring the intrinsic mechanism of TOCN-based high-performance triboelectric positive material by oxygen-rich groups

The TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibril (TOCN) is a green, renewable, recycled material with high performance developing natural, environmentally friendly triboelectric materials. However, the performance of natural polymer triboelectric materials needs to be further improved. In this work, a novel high-performance TOCN-based triboelectric material was prepared and enhanced by increasing oxygen-rich groups and porous structure by regulated TEMPO-mediated oxidation and direct freeze-drying process. Oxygen-rich groups and porous structures synergistically boosted the surface charge density of the material during contact separation to enhance the triboelectric output performance. The open-circuit voltage of the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) was realized to be enhanced by 36 % and 84.5 %, respectively, with the power density up to 1.003 W/m 2 . Meanwhile, finite element analysis calculations further verified that the oxygen-rich groups help to increase the surface charge density of the material and make electron transfer easier. This study provides a new strategy for preparing high-performance, environmentally friendly, biocompatible biomass triboelectric materials.