Direct‐Current Triboelectric Generator

The first direct‐current triboelectric generator (DC‐TEG) based on sliding electrification for harvesting mechanical energy from rotational motion is reported. The DC‐TEG consists of two rotating wheels and one belt for connecting them, which are made of distinctly different triboelectric materials with a specific requirement. During the rotation, the contact‐induced electrification and the relative sliding between the two wheels and the belt can induce a continuous increase of the accumulated positive and negative triboelectric charges at the two rotating wheels, respectively, resulting in a Corona discharge and producing the observed current through an external load. The DC‐TEG can deliver an open‐circuit voltage of larger than 3200 V and a maximum power of 100 μW under an external load of 60 MΩ at a rotational speed of 1000 r min^–1. By designing a point metal discharge electrode near the accumulated positive charges on the metal wheel, the instantaneous short‐circuit current can be up to 0.37 mA. The DC‐TEG can be utilized as a direct power source to light up 1020 serially connected commercial light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) and the produced energy can also be stored in a capacitor for other uses. This work presents a DC‐TEG technology to harvest mechanical energy from rotational motion for self‐powered electronics.