Enhancing the output power density of polydimethylsiloxane-based flexible triboelectric nanogenerators with ultrathin nickel telluride nanobelts as a co-triboelectric layer

We report the successful synthesis of durable, high-output, and flexible triboelectric nanogenerators (FTENGs) using a polydimethylsiloxane/nickel telluride nanobelt (PDMS/NiTe₂ NB) composite. The PDMS/NiTe₂ NB FTENGs exhibit a remarkable output power density of ~1.89 mW cm^–2 under a vertical force of 5 N at a frequency of 3 Hz, which is significantly higher compared with PDMS-only FTENGs. After 1000 repetitive bending tests at various angles (from 0° to 180°), the PDMS/NiTe₂ NB FTENGs are found to retain 93.1% (~1.76 mW cm^–2) of the initial output power density, indicating their excellent flexibility. Furthermore, the PDMS/NiTe₂ NB FTENG with a size of 3 cm × 3 cm is able to power up 150 light-emitting diodes by the tapping of a human palm. This work not only offers a facile synthetic strategy for obtaining ultrathin NiTe₂ NB but also demonstrates the PDMS/NiTe₂ NB composite as a promising triboelectric electrode for achieving high-output flexible energy-harvesting systems.