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It has been reported that the output performance of a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) can be enhanced by applying light; however, the coupling mechanism between photogenerated carriers and triboelectric charges is still not well explained. Here, we propose a light-enhanced TENG based on a P3HT:PC61BM active blend layer, which processes dual functions of the photoelectric effect and the triboelectric effect. The open-circuit voltage, short circuit current, and amount of transferred charges for the TENG were enhanced by 63%, 76%, and 127%, respectively, after illumination under the white light condition. Moreover, we have investigated the interaction between the triboelectric charges and the photogenerated carriers to further explore the coupling mechanism between the triboelectric and photoelectric effects. Both Kelvin probe force microscopy and conductive atomic force microscopy demonstrate that the photogenerated carriers produced by the P3HT:PC61BM active blend layer can improve the surface triboelectric charge density. More interestingly, the transient absorption spectrum indicates that the electrostatic field induced by triboelectric charges contributes to the dissociation of excitons. In other words, there exists a beneficial promoting effect between the triboelectric charges and the photogenerated carriers during the operation of the light-enhanced TENG. This work provides an important guideline for the design and performance improvement of the hybrid TENG that captures both mechanical energy and light energy simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that photoactive piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) have been getting more attention due to their significant potential as a self-powered photodetector and pressure sensor, investigations on the interaction mechanism between photogenerated carriers and piezoelectric charges are still insufficient. In this study, photoactive PENGs based on methylammonium lead halides-poly(vinylidene) (MAPI-PVDF) composite were fabricated, in which the presence of MAPI in the PVDF matrix plays a dual role in enhancing the nucleation of the electroactive β-phase as well as inducing photoactivity in the composite. It has an optimal open-circuit voltage of 4.7 V and short-circuit current of 0.2 μA at 10 wt. % concentration of MAPI under illumination, which is nearly halved in the dark. Furthermore, we have thoroughly explored the interaction mechanism between photogenerated carriers and piezoelectric charges by piezoresponse scanning force microscopy techniques, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and a bandgap analysis. The results demonstrate that the photogenerated carriers screen part of the piezoelectric potential induced by the piezoelectric charges, while the piezoelectric charges promote more photogenerated carriers recombination. This work opens up horizons for the piezoelectric community in designing photoactive PENGs with multiple application modes and provides an effective approach to the development of piezoelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]