MXene-Molecular Chromophore Triboelectric Systems for Self-Powered Noble-Gas Discharge

Identifying triboelectric material pairs capable of delivering high performance remains a key challenge for advancing triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) technologies. To address the challenge, we have investigated a triboelectric pair comprising tribo-negative PDMS/MXene(Ti3C2Tx) with a potent tribo-positive material, triphenylamine–phenyl–benzothiazole (TPA-Ph-BTZ). In this work, the triboelectric propertiesof TPA-Ph-BTZ were first systematically determined by pairing it with a series of standard frictional materials, confirming that TPA-Ph-BTZ is tribo-positive. Building on our findings, we engineered PDMS/MXene composite films with varying MXene loadings and coupled them with TPA-Ph-BTZ to explore synergistic charge-generation mechanisms. Comprehensive measurements, including electrical output, surface potential, dielectric constant, and wettability, revealed that MXene reinforcement significantly enhances the charge-storage ability and effective contact behavior of PDMS. The TPA-Ph-BTZ-PDMS/MXene (2 wt %) TENG delivered the highest electrical output of ∼290 V, ∼100 μA, and a power density of 2.77 W/m2. The device also showed stable operation over 10,000 test cycles, confirming its mechanical robustness. Further, an optimized TENG was used in powering a series-connected 240 LEDs. Beyond energy harvesting, the high-voltage output of the TPA-Ph-BTZ–PDMS/MXene TENG is further demonstrated for self-powered activation of discharge tubes for neon, establishing an application pathway for triboelectric-driven discharge electronics. This study establishes TPA-Ph-BTZ–MXene/PDMS as a highly efficient triboelectric pairing, offering a design pathway for molecular-material-based TENGs.