Aerogels, due to their unique interconnected 3D networks, and large number of air-filled pores, extend the structural characteristics and physicochemical properties of the nanoscale to the macro level. However, aerogels made from a single component can hardly meet the needs of multifunctional energy harvesting/supply situations. Here, a BaTiO3-based hybrid aerogel (BTO HA) with 3D network structure was prepared. When the BTO HA is used as the electrode of triboelectric nanogenerator (BTO HA-TENG), high electrical output performances were obtained, which is due to the synergistic effect of solid-solid contact electrifications between the two electrification layers, the gas-solid contact electrifications between the inner surface of BTO HA and the air filled in the aerogel pores, and the piezoelectricity of the doped BaTiO3 nanoparticles. The BTO HA-TENG exhibited excellent fatigue resistance and structural stability after 12,000 cycles of alternatively contact/separation tests, and it can not only provide stable power supply for commercial capacitors, drive small mobile electronic devices but also can be used as a self-powered sensor to monitor human motion signals. Compared with traditional TENGs depending on surface charge transfer, the BTO HA-TENG exhibited its unique advantage that it can generate and transfer triboelectric charges by 3D volume, which boost TENGs' electrical output performances.
Keywords: aerogel; multifunction; self-powered sensor; triboelectric nanogenerator.