Biomass-Derived Laser-Induced Graphene/Chitosan Composite Films for Sustainable Triboelectric Nanogenerators

As a green energy technology, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) convert mechanical energy into electricity and have gained significant attention in response to growing global environmental concerns. However, the widespread use of petroleum-based polymers as triboelectric materials in high-performance TENGs raises concerns over plastic pollution. In this work, we report a high-performance biodegradable TENG utilizing chitosan/laser-induced graphene (LIG) composite films as triboelectric layers. Modified chitosan substrates were first converted into LIGs via a convenient one-step CO2 laser engraving, subsequently incorporated into chitosan matrices to form homogeneous composite films. A TENG device was designed by pairing the LIG/chitosan composite film with the fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) film, and copper electrodes. The introduction of LIG effectively strengthens charge storage and dielectric properties of the chitosan matrix, thereby significantly boosting the triboelectric output performance. Experimental results demonstrate that the as-assembled TENG with an LIG concentration of 1 wt.% achieves a peak open-circuit voltage of 196 V and short-circuit current of 2.1 μA, with a maximum power density of 295 mW/m2. It can drive LED lights and small low-power electronic devices. Furthermore, the designed TENG device exhibits good biodegradability, flexibility, and stability, serving as a self-powered sensor for monitoring human joint movements. This work provides a simple and scalable strategy for integrating laser-induced graphene with biomass-based polymers, offering new insights into the design of high-performance, biobased triboelectric materials.