Addressing Triboelectric Nanogenerator Impedance for Efficient CO₂ Utilization

Reducing the impedance of a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) without power loss is crucial for enhancing its energy conversion efficiency and overall performance. In this paper, a novel signal management structure, based on a newly designed sliding-mode TENG, aimed at effectively reducing impedance by converting narrow, instantaneous signals into broader ones is presented. This transformation is accomplished by adding a grounded electrode connected to a high-inductive inductor and fine-tuning the parasitic capacitance of the dielectric material. Utilizing a highly resistive material like P(VDF–TrFE), a significant improvement in the TENG's performance is achieved, resulting in an increase of output power to 0.352 mW and a decrease in impedance from 3.2 to 0.3 MΩ. This results in a threefold increase in charging speed, which can be attributed to the reduced charge loss and improved matching at lower impedance. Based on these promising findings, the enhanced TENG is successfully connected to power a system for electrochemical CO₂ reduction for CO production. This system effectively reduces the required electrochemical reduction potential by ≈15% under real environments.