Triboelectric generators rely on contact-generated surface charge transfer between materials with different electron affinities to convert mechanical energy into useful electricity. The ability to modify the surface chemistry of polymeric materials can therefore lead to significant enhancement of the triboelectric performance. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is a biocompatible polymer commonly used in medical applications, but its central position on the triboelectric series, which empirically ranks materials according to their electron-donating or electron accepting tendencies, renders it unsuitable for application in triboelectric generators. Here, we show that the surface potential of PMMA fibers produced by electrospinning can be tailored through the polarity of the voltage used during the fabrication process, thereby improving its triboelectric performance, as compared to typically spin-coated PMMA films. The change in surface chemistry of the electrospun PMMA fibers is verified using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and this is directly correlated to the changes in surface potential observed by Kelvin probe force microscopy. We demonstrate the enhancement of triboelectric energy harvesting capability of the electrospun PMMA fibers, suggesting that this surface potential modification approach can be more widely applied to other materials as well, for improved triboelectric performance.

摩擦发电器依靠具有不同电子亲和力的材料之间接触产生的表面电荷转移，将机械能转化为有用的电能。因此，改变聚合物材料的表面化学性质的能力可以导致摩擦电性能的显着提高。聚（甲基丙烯酸甲酯）（PMMA）是一种生物相容性聚合物，通常用于医疗应用，但它在摩擦电系列上的中心位置（根据经验将材料根据其供电子或电子接受的趋势对其进行排名）使其不适用于摩擦电发生器。在这里，我们表明通过静电纺丝生产的PMMA纤维的表面电势可以通过在制造过程中使用的电压极性进行调整，与通常的旋涂PMMA膜相比，从而改善了其摩擦电性能。使用X射线光电子能谱验证了电纺PMMA纤维的表面化学变化，这与通过开尔文探针力显微镜观察到的表面电势变化直接相关。我们证明了电纺PMMA纤维的摩擦电能量收集能力的增强，表明该表面电势修饰方法也可以更广泛地应用于其他材料，以改善摩擦电性能。这与开尔文探针力显微镜观察到的表面电势变化直接相关。我们证明了电纺PMMA纤维的摩擦电能量收集能力的增强，表明该表面电势修饰方法也可以更广泛地应用于其他材料，以改善摩擦电性能。这与开尔文探针力显微镜观察到的表面电势变化直接相关。我们证明了电纺PMMA纤维的摩擦电能量收集能力的增强，表明该表面电势修饰方法也可以更广泛地应用于其他材料，以改善摩擦电性能。