Green and recyclable cellulose based TENG for sustainable energy and human-machine interactive system

Global warming and other world climate issues have spawned extensive research on the green, recyclable and biodegradable distributed energy harvesting triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) for the collection of renewable energy. Cellulose filter paper (CFP), as a biocompatible natural material with a unique three-dimensional porous network structure, high crystallinity and excellent mechanical flexibility, can be used to create biodegradable and environmentally friendly TENGs. Here, we have developed a green and recyclable CFP-based energy harvesting and human–computer interaction system based on the single-electrode structure. It is composed of PVDF-coated CFP and conductive Cu-coated CFP as friction layer and electrode respectively. The degradation experiment verified the composite film materials can be completely dispersed and dissolved in deionized (DI) water in 30 min using an ultrasonic instrument, which fully proves the green and environmental protection of the prepared CFP-based TENG. We also thoroughly studied the output properties of the fabricated CFP-based TENGs, which demonstrates a maximum output voltage of 192 V, output current of 9.3 μA, and output power at 736.7 mW m−2. The CFP-based TENGs can be conveniently adopted to power commercial electronic products and as a wearable interface to control computer programs. This research demonstrates the effective way to develop CFP-based TENG for energy collecting and human–computer interaction devices with high biodegradability, which is important for realizing the environmental protection of electronic equipment, promoting energy conservation and emission reduction, and achieving carbon neutrality.