In Situ Observation of Current Generation in ZnO Nanowire Based Nanogenerators Using a CAFM Integrated into an SEM

Chao Wen; Xu Jing; Frank F Hitzel; Chengbin Pan; Guenther Benstetter; Mario Lanza

doi:10.1021/acsami.9b00447

In Situ Observation of Current Generation in ZnO Nanowire Based Nanogenerators Using a CAFM Integrated into an SEM

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2019 May 1;11(17):15183-15188. doi: 10.1021/acsami.9b00447. Epub 2019 Apr 22.

Authors

Chao Wen¹, Xu Jing¹, Frank F Hitzel², Chengbin Pan¹, Guenther Benstetter³, Mario Lanza¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nanoscience and Technology , Soochow University , Suzhou , 215123 , China.
² Semilab Germany GmbH , Geysostraße 13 , Braunschweig 38106 , Germany.
³ Deggendorf Institute of Technology , Dieter-Görlitz-Platz 1 , Deggendorf 94469 , Germany.

PMID: 30916549
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b00447

Abstract

In this work, we monitor in situ the movement of ZnO piezoelectric nanowires by using a conductive atomic force microscope integrated into a scanning electron microscope. This setup allows seeing the bending of the nanowires and simultaneously measuring the currents generated. We conclude that the currents generated not only come from piezoelectric effect, but also from contact potential and triboelectric effect. These contributions have been ignored in all previous reports in this field, meaning that the power conversion efficiency of these devices may have been systematically overestimated. Our study helps to clarify the working mechanism of piezoelectric nanogenerators based on ZnO nanowires.

Keywords: ZnO nanowire arrays; conductive atomic force microscope; contact potential; piezoelectric effect; triboelectric effect.