Engineering Triboelectric Interfaces through Molecular Self-Assembly

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Small organic molecules capable of self-assembling into ordered supramolecular architectures with precise molecular and interfacial control are emerging as a new class of materials for fabricating triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). Molecular self-assembly enables molecular-level control over dipole alignment, interfacial energetics, and stimulus-responsive behavior, while enabling solution-based processing under potentially mild conditions and, in select systems, biodegradability. This Perspective distills key concepts of molecular self-assembly relevant to triboelectric interfaces, showcases experimental examples in which supramolecular organization controls charge generation and multifunctional performance, and addresses outstanding challenges in scalable fabrication, reproducibility, and rational materials design. It concludes with a roadmap connecting current hybrid and template-driven methods to the long-term goal of creating molecularly defined triboelectric layers with tunable charge behavior, positioning self-assembled small organic molecules (SASOMs) as a promising foundation for adaptive, sustainable energy-harvesting technologies.