Harvesting energy from friction: the revolutionary decade of triboelectric nanogenerators

Uday Kumar Khanapurarm; Gokana Mohana Rani; Swati Panda; Thitirat Charoonsuk; Krystian Mistewicz; Sugato Hajra; Kushal Ruthvik Kaja; Reddicherla Umapathi; Saichon Sriphan; Jakub Jała; Haranath Divi; Albert Smalcerz; Mohamed Belal; Pannur Jaahnavi; Moein Safarkhani; Hanseung Kim; Yogendra Kumar Mishra; Hoe Joon Kim; Yun Suk Huh; Naratip Vittayakorn; Bartłomiej Nowacki; Sai Kishore Ravi; Stephen James Eichhorn; Monica F. Craciun; Ana Borras; Hamideh Khanbareh; Jiaqian Qin; Rakesh Kumar Rajaboina

doi:10.1016/j.apmate.2025.100373

Harvesting energy from friction: the revolutionary decade of triboelectric nanogenerators

Uday Kumar Khanapurarm
, Gokana Mohana Rani
, Swati Panda
, Thitirat Charoonsuk
, Krystian Mistewicz
, Sugato Hajra
, Kushal Ruthvik Kaja
, Reddicherla Umapathi
, Saichon Sriphan
, Jakub Jała
, Haranath Divi
, Albert Smalcerz
, Mohamed Belal
, Pannur Jaahnavi
, Moein Safarkhani
, Hanseung Kim
, Yogendra Kumar Mishra
, Hoe Joon Kim
, Yun Suk Huh
, Naratip Vittayakorn

Bartłomiej Nowacki, Sai Kishore Ravi, Stephen James Eichhorn, Monica F. Craciun, Ana Borras, Hamideh Khanbareh, Jiaqian Qin, Rakesh Kumar Rajaboina

National Institute of Technology, Warangal
Inha University
Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology
King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang
Srinakharinwirot University
Silesian University of Technology
King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok
University of Southern Denmark, Sønderborg
City University of Hong Kong
University of Bristol
University of Exeter
Universidad de Sevilla
Chulalongkorn University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

57 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have rapidly developed into a transformative energy harvesting technology, enabling self-powered, sustainable electronic systems. This review offers the first comprehensive, multidisciplinary perspective that connects the physics of triboelectric charge transfer with material innovation, device engineering, and real-world applications. We systematically categorize and measure the triboelectric series across a wide range of materials, including polymers, 2D materials, MOFs, perovskites, cellulose, and biodegradable frameworks, using experimentally validated methods. In addition to traditional approaches, this work highlights emerging strategies such as machine learning-guided material discovery, 3D printing, and advanced structural engineering to improve charge retention, durability, and power output. Unlike existing reviews, it uniquely combines theory and application insights, presents diverse uses from biomedical sensing and environmental monitoring to underwater communication and mechanoluminescence, and outlines a forward-looking plan for sustainable energy harvesting. This comprehensive synthesis serves as an essential resource for researchers and technologists designing next-generation TENGs and multifunctional self-powered devices.

Original language	English
Article number	100373
Number of pages	108
Journal	Advanced Powder Materials
Volume	5
Issue number	2
Early online date	25 Nov 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmate.2025.100373
Publication status	Published - 30 Apr 2026

Data Availability Statement

No data was used for the research described in the article.

Funding

HJK acknowledges the support by the National Research Foundation of Korea, funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT of Korea (RS-2024-00346135, RS-2024-00406674). SH & SP acknowledge this work was supported by the InnoCORE program of the Ministry of Science and ICT(25-InnoCORE-01). BN acknowledges this study was partially supported by Silesian University of Technology (Gliwice, Poland) through the statutory research grants No. BK-227/RM4/2025 (11/040/BK_25/0040), BK-208/RIF1/2025, statutory research project for young scientists BKM-748/RM4/2024 (11/040/BKM24/0038) and pro-quality Rector's grant No. 14/010/RGJ25/0018. YSH acknowledges the support by the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) grant funded by the Korea government (MOTIE) (RS-2024-00420434) NV acknowledges the research was funded by National Science, Research and Innovation Fund (NSRF), and King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok (Project no. KMUTNB-FF-68-B-28) and also supported by King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang under Grant No. 2569-02-05-001.

Keywords

Contact electrification
Energy harvesting
Nanogenerators
Self-powered system
Triboelectricity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Catalysis
Ceramics and Composites
Materials Science (miscellaneous)
Energy (miscellaneous)
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Metals and Alloys

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Cite this

Khanapurarm, U. K., Rani, G. M., Panda, S., Charoonsuk, T., Mistewicz, K., Hajra, S., Kaja, K. R., Umapathi, R., Sriphan, S., Jała, J., Divi, H., Smalcerz, A., Belal, M., Jaahnavi, P., Safarkhani, M., Kim, H., Mishra, Y. K., Kim, H. J., Huh, Y. S., ... Rajaboina, R. K. (2026). Harvesting energy from friction: the revolutionary decade of triboelectric nanogenerators. Advanced Powder Materials, 5(2), Article 100373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmate.2025.100373

Khanapurarm, UK, Rani, GM, Panda, S, Charoonsuk, T, Mistewicz, K, Hajra, S, Kaja, KR, Umapathi, R, Sriphan, S, Jała, J, Divi, H, Smalcerz, A, Belal, M, Jaahnavi, P, Safarkhani, M, Kim, H, Mishra, YK, Kim, HJ, Huh, YS, Vittayakorn, N, Nowacki, B, Ravi, SK, Eichhorn, SJ, Craciun, MF, Borras, A, Khanbareh, H, Qin, J & Rajaboina, RK 2026, 'Harvesting energy from friction: the revolutionary decade of triboelectric nanogenerators', Advanced Powder Materials, vol. 5, no. 2, 100373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmate.2025.100373

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abstract = "Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have rapidly developed into a transformative energy harvesting technology, enabling self-powered, sustainable electronic systems. This review offers the first comprehensive, multidisciplinary perspective that connects the physics of triboelectric charge transfer with material innovation, device engineering, and real-world applications. We systematically categorize and measure the triboelectric series across a wide range of materials, including polymers, 2D materials, MOFs, perovskites, cellulose, and biodegradable frameworks, using experimentally validated methods. In addition to traditional approaches, this work highlights emerging strategies such as machine learning-guided material discovery, 3D printing, and advanced structural engineering to improve charge retention, durability, and power output. Unlike existing reviews, it uniquely combines theory and application insights, presents diverse uses from biomedical sensing and environmental monitoring to underwater communication and mechanoluminescence, and outlines a forward-looking plan for sustainable energy harvesting. This comprehensive synthesis serves as an essential resource for researchers and technologists designing next-generation TENGs and multifunctional self-powered devices.",

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Harvesting energy from friction: the revolutionary decade of triboelectric nanogenerators

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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