A novel rhombic-shaped paper-based triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting energy from environmental vibration.

• A rhombic-shaped paper-based TENG for harvesting mechanical energy is proposed. • Multiple unites are integrated in an harvester to enlarge the electrical output. • The rhombic-shaped frame enables the contact mode TENG to work effectively under tensile conditions. • Two pressurizing braces are designed to enlarge the contact force between the tribo-pair. Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) as a promising energy harvesting technology attracts much attention in recent years. Among others, the contact mode TENG is often given priority by virtue of its reliable robustness and high energy conversion efficiency. However, in most cases, the contact-mode TENG is only suitable for collecting energy from pressure-induced incentives because it requires a compression forces to drive. Here, we propose a rhombic-shaped paper-based triboelectric nanogenerator (RP-TENG) that may operate effectively under tensile conditions together with an enhanced contact force between the tribo-pair induced by the design of pressurizing braces. Mechanical tests were carried out to investigate the output performance of the RP-TENG under the activation of various applied forces. An integrated RP-TENG with four tribo-pairs were fabricated for optimizing the output performance. The novel design facilitates the device to achieve higher energy conversion efficiency and also expand its application circumstances. A theoretical model is developed to establish the correlation between the output voltage of the RP-TENG and the geometric characteristics as well as external excitations. The results suggest an effective strategy of using paper-based rhombic-shape design to enhance contact-mode TENGs and may serve as a guideline for structural and circuit design of this novel TENG devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]