Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offer a promising approach that surpasses the limitations of conventional energy harvesting systems by converting human biomechanical activity to therapeutic electrical stimulation. Herein, we designed a flexible TENG featuring multilayered biodegradable electrospun nanofibrous membranes of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as the tribonegative layer and keratin/polyvinylpyrrolidone (Ker/PVP) as the tribopositive layer. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and Ti3C2Tx MXene/MOFs (MXOFs) were integrated within the PLA and Ker/PVP nanofibrous membranes, respectively, to enhance their triboelectrification properties and charge-trapping ability. The developed nanofibrous membranes were characterized using various morphological and structural analyses including scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements, demonstrating the successful fabrication of uniform and bead-free nanofibrous membranes. Various TENG devices were designed and fabricated with varying MOF and MXOF contents (1, 2, 3, and 5% w/w). Following the optimization of both triboelectric layers, the enhanced TENG device demonstrated an open-circuit voltage density of 66 kV/m2 and a short-circuit current density of 470 mA/m2 with 2% w/w nanoparticle content. The developed TENG showed long-term durability upon application of the periodic force over a period of 1200 s. These findings provide a new and innovative pathway for the development of next-generation multifunctional TENGs for biocompatible energy harvesting applications.
Ünsal et al. (2026) studied this question.