Electronically Robust Self‐Assembled Supramolecular Gel as a Potential Material in Triboelectric Nanogenerators

Abstract

AbstractA series of self‐assembling gluconamide conjugated naphthalimide amphiphiles (GCNA) was synthesized and the self‐assembly of GCNA into gel rendered an increased electron density in naphthalimide moiety with an overall change in energy of 15.33×10−32 J via J‐type aggregation. SEM analysis and X‐ray diffraction underpinning the nanofibrillar formation, and rheological measurements confirmed the processablity and material fabrication. The enriched electron density in the aggregated GCNA4 via cooperative intermolecular non‐covalent interactions makes it as effective electron donor in the fabrication of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). The TENG based on GCNA4‐polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) triboelectric pair generated an output voltage, current and power density of ∼250 V, 40 μA and ∼622 mW/m2 respectively, which is almost 2.4 times better in performance than the amorphous GCNA4 based TENG. The fabricated TENG can power‐up 240 LEDs, wrist watch, thermometer, calculator and hygrometer.