Transparent perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTES)/PDMS based water droplet-driven triboelectric nanogenerators as self-powered energy devices

Water driven-based TENGs (WD-TENGs) are of great interest for their capability to harvest hydropower. In this work, transparent perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTES) mixed with polydimethylsilane (PDMS) based WD-TENGs were readily prepared using conventional mixing method and subsequently coated on conductive FTO glass substrate, with no need of surface patterning. The champion device, the 50 % PFDTES/PMDS, can boost output voltage of 37.3 V and an output current density of 5 μA/cm², which are 7 times and 5 times higher than those of pure PDMS device (5.1 V and 1 μA/cm²). The PFDTES/PMDS WD-TENG with active area of 7.5 cm² under water drop flow rate of 23 mL/min can power small electronics, including, LEDs array and charge small capacitors. These demonstrate its feasibility of self-power generation, with potential applications as a power source for portable electronics and electrochemical devices.