Highly Sensitive and Stable Multifunctional Self-Powered Triboelectric Sensor Utilizing Mo2CTx/PDMS Composite Film for Pressure Sensing and Non-Contact Sensing

Abstract

Sensors based on triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are increasingly gaining attention because of their self-powered capabilities and excellent sensing performance. In this work, we report a Mo₂CT_x-based triboelectric sensor (Mo-TES) consisting of a Mo₂CT_x/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite film. The impact of the mass fraction (wt%) and force of Mo₂CT_x particles on the output performance of Mo-TES was systematically explored. When Mo₂CT_x particles is 3 wt%, Mo-TES3 achieves an open-circuit voltage of 86.89 V, a short-circuit current of 578.12 nA, and a power density of 12.45 μW/cm². It also demonstrates the ability to charge capacitors with varying capacitance values. Additionally, the Mo-TES3 demonstrates greater sensitivity than the Mo-TES0 and a faster recovery time of 78 ms. Meanwhile, the Mo-TES3 also demonstrates excellent stability in water washing and antifatigue testing. This demonstrates the effectiveness of Mo-TES as a pressure sensor. Furthermore, leveraging the principle of electrostatic induction, the triboelectric sensor has the potential to achieve non-contact sensing, making it a promising candidate for disease prevention and safety protection.

Keywords: Mo2CTx; non-contact sensor; self-powered; triboelectric nanogenerator.