# Moon Regolith Simulant-Based All-3D-Printed Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Effective Mechanical Energy Conversion

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a 3D-printed energy generator made from moon-like material that can convert mechanical energy into electricity for use on the Moon.

## Contribution

A scalable 3D-printing method using lunar regolith simulant to create efficient triboelectric nanogenerators for lunar energy systems.

## Key findings

- Lunar regolith simulant enhances charge generation in composite electrodes.
- The best design achieved 17.4 V open-circuit voltage and 0.96 μA short-circuit current.
- The prototype demonstrates practical power generation for lunar habitats.

## Abstract

Sustained human activity on the Moon will require energy
systems
that can be manufactured directly from lunar materials, avoiding the
mass and cost constraints of transporting devices from the Earth.
Here, we demonstrate a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) fabricated
using a lunar regolith (LR) simulant as an active triboelectric component
through a scalable 3D-printing strategy. LR incorporation significantly
enhances charge generation in LR/PLA (poly­(lactic acid)) composite
electrodes by modifying surface properties and increasing effective
contact electrification. Multiple electrode architectures were evaluated
to optimize performance, with the best design delivering an open-circuit
voltage of ∼17.4 (±0.4) V and a short-circuit current
of ∼0.96 (±0.2) μA at 10 Hz for a 20 × 30 mm
device. The prototype is capable of real-scale power demonstrations,
validating its practical utility. This work introduces a viable route
for in situ resource utilization and 3D printing to establish LR-based
triboelectric devices as a promising approach for energy autonomy
in future lunar habitats.