Triboelectric Charge Density Enhancement in Zinc Oxide Decorated Polymer Nanogenerators for Energy Harvesting Systems

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Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | 04 | Page :
By

P. William,

Dipesh B. Pardeshi,

Atul A. Barhate,

Abhishek Badholia,

Sharad Ninu Kolte,

Sanjay Dattatray Jondhale,

Amit V. Mohod,

  1. Professor (Research), School of Computer Science and Technology, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
  2. Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, Sanjivani College of Engineering, Kopargaon, Maharashtra, India
  3. Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, Godavari College of Engineering, Jalgaon, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, Lonere, Maharashtra, India
  4. Associate Professor, Department of Data Science, Shri Shankaracharya Institute of Professional Management and Technology, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
  5. Lecturer, Department of Electrical Engineering, K. J. Somaiya polytechnic, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
  6. Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Engineering, Pravara Rural Engineering College, Loni, Maharashtra, India
  7. Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, Prof. Ram Meghe college of Engineering and Management, Badnera, Maharashtra, India

Abstract

The growing need for wearable electronics, wireless sensor networks, and IoT devices has pushed research on triboelectric nanogenerator for long-term energy harvesting. However, traditional polymer-based TENGs’ low triboelectric charge density restricts their energy conversion efficiency and practical performance. This research presents a zinc oxide (ZnO)-decorated polymer triboelectric nanogenerator designed to enhance surface charge density and improve electrical output. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using a hydrothermal method and uniformly deposited onto a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer substrate through a solution-assisted coating process followed by thermal curing. The fabricated ZnO/PDMS composite films were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and contact angle measurements to investigate surface morphology, crystallinity, surface roughness, chemical interactions, and wettability. The triboelectric performance was evaluated experimentally using a vertical contact-separation mode with excitation frequencies ranging from 1-10 Hz and external loads between 1 kΩ and 50 MΩ. All four formulations were measured for open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, transferred charge, power density, and charge density. Experimental results demonstrated that ZnO surface decoration significantly improved the 3rd formulation, achieving a triboelectric charge density of 234 ± 5, open-circuit voltage of 326 ± 8, short-circuit voltage of 15.6 ± 0.5, and power density of 12.7 ± 0.4, by increasing surface roughness and electron trapping capability. The improved nanogenerator demonstrated high electrical stability of 97.5% over 20,000 operational cycles, efficiently powering low-power electronic devices and charging commercial capacitors. These findings demonstrate that the ZnO-decorated polymer nanogenerator is a scalable, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable solution for high-performance self-powered energy harvesting systems.

Keywords: Internet of Things (IoT), Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic force microscopy (AFM).

How to cite this article: P. William, Dipesh B. Pardeshi, Atul A. Barhate, Abhishek Badholia, Sharad Ninu Kolte, Sanjay Dattatray Jondhale, Amit V. Mohod. Triboelectric Charge Density Enhancement in Zinc Oxide Decorated Polymer Nanogenerators for Energy Harvesting Systems. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(04):-.
How to cite this URL: P. William, Dipesh B. Pardeshi, Atul A. Barhate, Abhishek Badholia, Sharad Ninu Kolte, Sanjay Dattatray Jondhale, Amit V. Mohod. Triboelectric Charge Density Enhancement in Zinc Oxide Decorated Polymer Nanogenerators for Energy Harvesting Systems. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(04):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=255203

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Ahead of Print Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
04
Received 12/08/2026
Accepted 31/08/2026
Published 10/09/2026
Publication Time 29 Days

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