Advances in Nanostructures for High‐Performance Triboelectric Nanogenerators

Abstract With the rapid development of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution, the effective conversion of wasted ambient mechanical energy from the environment to generate electricity is regarded as one of the most pivotal technologies for powering widely distributed electronics in the era of the Internet of Things. Although the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), based on the coupling effect of contact electrification and electrostatic induction, has recently undergone a tremendous evolution with the development of various features such as flexibility, conformability, and user‐friendliness, further improvement of the output performance is still required for usage toward practical applications for the next‐generation of IoT devices. In this review article, surface nanostructure modification methods for high‐performance triboelectric nanogenerators are systematically summarized. The field is deeply reviewed, with the methods classified into four categories: templating method, appending method, etching method, and crumpling method. Finally, an in‐depth discussion of the existing challenges and the direction of future efforts for enhancing TENG output performance are clearly stated, which can contribute to promoting further development of the field.