ZnO Nanorods Modified Cotton Fabric‐Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Self‐Powered Energy Harvesting and Acetone Sensing Applications

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as a sustainable energy resource, addressing the growing need for self‐powered electronic devices and wearable sensing technologies, operating on the contact‐separation method, proficiently converting mechanical energy into electrical output. This report describes the fabrication and performance analysis of a simple and low‐cost TENG device. It consists of a tribo‐positive layer of hydrothermally grown zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) on cotton cloth (CC) and a tribo‐negative layer of flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The optimized device achieved an open‐circuit voltage ( V OC ) of ∼7.3 V and a short‐circuit current ( I SC ) of ∼2.36 µA when tested at a low frequency (3 Hz). Compared to the bare cotton substrate, the ZnO NRs modified CC provided a 1.42‐fold enhancement in V OC and a 1.98‐fold increase in I SC . The device's power output was sufficient to light 14 commercial light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) instantly. Beyond its energy harvesting capabilities, the device also demonstrated significant use as a room‐temperature sensor for acetone vapor.