Interfacial Charge Dynamics and Polarization Coupling in Ferroelectric Nematic Liquid Crystal Tailored PVDF Composite Films for High‐Performance Organic Triboelectric Nanogenerator‐Based Electromechanical Energy Harvesting

ABSTRACT Developing soft and conformable materials with enhanced charge generation and retention capabilities remains a critical barrier for next‐generation flexible triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). Here, we report a polarization‐coupled tribo‐negative film fabricated by integrating a room‐temperature ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal (FNLC) material (FNLC‐1571) into an electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) mat. In contrast to traditional rigid fillers, the optimally engineered ferroelectric nematic phase (N F ) of FNLC‐1571 microdomains assists spontaneous soft polar ordering in the nanofibrous PVDF matrix. This facilitates the integration of dipolar interactions with the fluorinated ends of PVDF, thereby synergistically promoting the crystallization of the electroactive β‐phase, enhancing dielectric behavior, modulating surface potential, improving interfacial charge‐trapping ability, and increasing contact area for superior charge generation while maintaining mechanical flexibility. When paired with a polyethylenimine (PEI)‐coated polyamide‐6 (PA‐6) tribo‐positive counter layer, the optimized 1 wt.% FNLC/PVDF‐based TENG delivers stable electrical output under low‐amplitude mechanical periodic contact‐separation excitation (8N, 10 Hz), with a peak‐to‐peak open‐circuit voltage of ∼395 V, a short‐circuit current of ∼40 µA, and a transferred charge of ∼167 nC. Finally, the optimally engineered all‐organic TENG assemblies were employed for various practical applications by demonstrating efficient capacitor charging, LED illumination, accurate biomechanical‐motion sensing, and real‐time IoT‐enabled monitoring through wireless interfacing.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2026-11-07
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.79514
Primary Topic
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
article

Interfacial Charge Dynamics and Polarization Coupling in Ferroelectric Nematic Liquid Crystal Tailored PVDF Composite Films for High‐Performance Organic Triboelectric Nanogenerator‐Based Electromechanical Energy Harvesting

Aloka Sinha, Kaustav Jit Bora
3 links
Advanced Functional Materials
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
article

Interfacial Charge Dynamics and Polarization Coupling in Ferroelectric Nematic Liquid Crystal Tailored PVDF Composite Films for High‐Performance Organic Triboelectric Nanogenerator‐Based Electromechanical Energy Harvesting

Aloka Sinha, Kaustav Jit Bora
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Developing soft and conformable materials with enhanced charge generation and retention capabilities remains a critical barrier for next‐generation flexible triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). Here, we report a polarization‐coupled tribo‐negative film fabricated by integrating a room‐temperature ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal (FNLC) material (FNLC‐1571) into an electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) mat. In contrast to traditional rigid fillers, the optimally engineered ferroelectric nematic phase (N F ) of FNLC‐1571 microdomains assists spontaneous soft polar ordering in the nanofibrous PVDF matrix. This facilitates the integration of dipolar interactions with the fluorinated ends of PVDF, thereby synergistically promoting the crystallization of the electroactive β‐phase, enhancing dielectric behavior, modulating surface potential, improving interfacial charge‐trapping ability, and increasing contact area for superior charge generation while maintaining mechanical flexibility. When paired with a polyethylenimine (PEI)‐coated polyamide‐6 (PA‐6) tribo‐positive counter layer, the optimized 1 wt.% FNLC/PVDF‐based TENG delivers stable electrical output under low‐amplitude mechanical periodic contact‐separation excitation (8N, 10 Hz), with a peak‐to‐peak open‐circuit voltage of ∼395 V, a short‐circuit current of ∼40 µA, and a transferred charge of ∼167 nC. Finally, the optimally engineered all‐organic TENG assemblies were employed for various practical applications by demonstrating efficient capacitor charging, LED illumination, accurate biomechanical‐motion sensing, and real‐time IoT‐enabled monitoring through wireless interfacing.

Advanced Functional Materials
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IN)
Indo-German Science and Technology Centre
Openalex Percentile: Top 27%
Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Laika access coming soon