# Triboelectric Performance of Electrospun PVDF Fibers for Energy Harvesting: A Comparative Study of Boron Nitride (BN) and Reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) Fillers

## TL;DR

This study compares how boron nitride and graphene oxide improve the energy-harvesting performance of PVDF fibers used in wearable electronics.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comparative analysis of insulating and conductive fillers in enhancing the triboelectric performance of PVDF-based nanogenerators.

## Key findings

- 5 wt.% BN increased the β-phase content to 82% due to nucleation and interfacial interactions.
- 7 wt.% rGO achieved 81% β-phase content through dipole alignment and charge transport enhancement.
- BN/PVDF and rGO/PVDF TENGs reached power densities of 281 μWcm−2 and 231 μWcm−2, respectively.

## Abstract

The growing demand for smart electronic devices in daily life requires sustainable, renewable energy sources that reliably power portable and wearable systems. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as a promising platform for smart textile-based energy harvesting due to their material versatility and mechanical compliance. In this work, electrospun poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) fiber mats incorporating boron nitride (BN) nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were investigated to elucidate the roles of insulating and conductive nanofillers in governing the structural and electroactive properties of PVDF-based triboelectric materials. Electrospun PVDF mats containing 5 wt.% BN exhibited enhanced β-phase content (82%), attributed to the nucleating effect of BN and strong interfacial interactions between the nanofiller and the PVDF matrix. In contrast, 7 wt.% rGO demonstrated a high electroactive β-phase fraction (81%), arising from filler-induced dipole alignment and enhanced charge transport within the fibrous network. A comparative analysis of BN and rGO highlights filler-driven mechanisms influencing the electroactive phase formation and triboelectric charge generation in PVDF mats. The corresponding triboelectric power density reached 231 μWcm−2 for the 7 wt.% rGO/PVDF and 281 μWcm−2 for the 5 wt.% BN/PVDF-based TENGs, providing valuable insights for the rational design of high-performance, flexible triboelectric materials for wearable energy-harvesting applications.