Triboelectric generators have emerged as potential candidates for mechanical energy harvesting, relying on motion-generated surface charge transfer between materials with different electron affinities. In this regard, synthetic organic materials with strong electron-donating tendencies are far less common than their electron-accepting counterparts. Nylons are notable exceptions, with odd-numbered Nylons such as Nylon-11, exhibiting electric polarisation that could further enhance the surface charge density crucial to triboelectric generator performance. However, the fabrication of Nylon-11 in the required polarised δ′-phase typically requires extremely rapid crystallisation, such as melt-quenching, as well as “poling” via mechanical stretching and/or large electric fields for dipolar alignment. Here, we propose an alternative one-step, near room-temperature fabrication method, namely gas-flow assisted nano-template (GANT) infiltration, by which highly crystalline “self-poled” δ′-phase Nylon-11 nanowires are grown from solution within nanoporous anodised aluminium oxide (AAO) templates. Our gas-flow assisted method allows for controlled crystallisation of the δ′-phase of Nylon-11 through rapid solvent evaporation and an artificially generated extreme temperature gradient within the nanopores of the AAO template, as accurately predicted by finite-element simulations. Furthermore, preferential crystal orientation originating from template-induced nano-confinement effects leads to self-poled δ′-phase Nylon-11 nanowires with higher surface charge distribution than melt-quenched Nylon-11 films, as observed by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Correspondingly, a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) device based on as-grown templated Nylon-11 nanowires fabricated via GANT infiltration showed a ten-fold increase in output power density as compared to an aluminium-based triboelectric generator, when subjected to identical mechanical excitations.

中文翻译：

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基于气流辅助模板润湿的自极化Nylon-11纳米线的摩擦发电机

摩擦发电器已经成为机械能收集的潜在候选者，它依靠运动产生的表面电荷在具有不同电子亲和力的材料之间转移。在这方面，具有强电子给体倾向的合成有机材料远不如其电子接受对等体常见。尼龙是一个明显的例外，奇数编号的尼龙（如Nylon-11）具有极化作用，可以进一步增强对于摩擦发电机性能至关重要的表面电荷密度。但是，在所需的极化δ'相中制造Nylon-11通常需要极快速的结晶，例如熔融淬火和“极化”通孔。机械拉伸和/或大电场进行偶极对准。在这里，我们提出了一种替代的一步法，接近室温的制造方法，即气流辅助纳米模板（GANT）渗透，通过该方法可以从中生长出高度结晶的“自极化”δ'相Nylon-11纳米线。纳米多孔阳极氧化铝（AAO）模板中的溶液。我们的气流辅助方法允许通过快速溶剂蒸发和AAO模板纳米孔内的人工生成的极端温度梯度来控制Nylon-11的δ'相结晶，这是有限元模拟所精确预测的。此外，由开尔文探针力显微镜（KPFM）观察到，源自模板诱导的纳米约束效应的优先晶体取向导致自极化δ'相Nylon-11纳米线的表面电荷分布高于熔融淬火的Nylon-11膜。相应地，基于生长的模板化尼龙11纳米线制造了摩擦电纳米发电机（TENG）装置当受到相同的机械激励时，与基于铝的摩擦发电机相比，通过GANT的渗透显示出输出功率密度增加了十倍。