2D Materials Coated Flexible Origami for Low-Frequency Energy Harvesting

Wave energy is one of the most abundant energy sources. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are becoming more popular for sustainable energy generation from waves. Concerning the renewable energy demands, we focus on developing cost-effective and adaptable origami-TENGs (O-TENGs) for harvesting wave energy, specifically utilizing paper-based (cellulose) materials. An origami-inspired lightweight and scalable design is proposed to create high-performance O-TENGs suitable for the complex conditions of low-frequency wave excitation. The paper-based spring-like O-TENG is coated with two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) nanosheets and demonstrates efficacy in harvesting mechanical energy in the ambient environment and the output performance compared with reduced graphene oxides (rGO). A detailed density functional theory (DFT) calculation was used to analyze the charge transfer mechanism in the coated origami structures. Furthermore, a barrel-shaped floating generator incorporating multiple origami TENGs is introduced to capture ocean wave energy across various frequencies, amplitudes, and directional movements. Since the coated origami structures show a good self-rebounding spring-like nature and energy harvesting properties, they are suitable for blue energy harvesting.