Triboelectric nanogenerators and supercapacitors based on biowaste-derived porous carbon for efficient energy harvesting and storage

The integration of supercapacitors (SCs) and triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offers a promising frontier for the developing of self-powered wearable electronics . However, conventional systems often rely on incompatible materials and fabrication processes for energy harvesting and storage units, leading to manufacturing complexity and compromised flexibility. Herein, a sustainable and integrated self-powered system is developed using biomass-derived porous carbon as a dual-functional electrode material. Benefiting from its hierarchical porosity , heteroatom doping , and microscale surface roughness , the carbon material not only facilitates rapid ion transport for SCs but also enhances triboelectric charge generation and retention for TENGs. By leveraging scalable screen-printing technology, flexible all-solid-state SCs and TENGs are seamlessly integrated into a single device, achieving a high specific capacitance of 367.2 F/g at 1 A/g and stable energy harvesting with an open-circuit voltage of 20 V and short-circuit current of 0.10 μA. Furthermore, the scalable output signals allow the device to function as a self-powered sensor for detecting gaits, recognizing actions, and monitoring finger movements. The proposed integrated energy storage and conversion system provides valuable insights into the development of self-powered systems employing biomass-derived porous carbon. • Porous carbon material was utilized to as the electrode material for both TENGs and SCs. • Self-powered devices expected to be prepared in bulk with screen printing. • Expandable output signals enable the device to be used as a self-powered sensor.