Three-dimensional polymer-nanoparticle-liquid ternary composite for ultrahigh augmentation of piezoelectric nanogenerators

The development of flexible nanogenerators that can convert passively generated environmental energy into electricity is crucial for sustainable energy generation. Herein, we rationally designed a polymer-nanoparticle-liquid (PNL) ternary composite, comprising polydopamine-modified barium titanate nanoparticles (PDA-BTO NPs) doped polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFOES) liquid nanodroplets, for application in piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs). The inter-discrete PFOES nanodroplets enabled the formation of a three-dimensional (3D) scaffold matrix in the ternary composite, which is highly beneficial for the stress transfer of PENGs. Finite-element analysis revealed that the ternary composite had a remarkably improved stress transfer ability due to the incorporation of highly deformable PFOES liquid nanodroplets, which increased the net stress exerted on PDA-BTO NPs and the PVDF matrix. The PNL composite-based PENG (PNL-PENG) device exhibited an enhanced piezoelectric performance, achieving an output voltage, current, and power density of 102 V, 10 µA, and 70 μW/cm², respectively, which are record-high results compared to those achieved by binary composite-based PENGs. Moreover, the PNL-PENG also demonstrated tremendous potential to function as a highly sensitive tactile perception tool for shape recognition. The concept of PNL-PENG devices represents a milestone in the domain of human-machine interaction, taking a significant step toward the advancement of flexible and wearable electronics.