Liquid metal–integrated polyimide nanofibers for high-temperature triboelectric energy harvesting

Here, liquid metal (LM)-integrated polyimide (PI) nanofibers are developed as a thermally robust triboelectric platform for harsh-environment energy harvesting. Gallium-based LM nanospheres are incorporated into electrospun PI nanofibers through a sonication-assisted dispersion strategy, producing uniform composite membranes while preserving the fibrous architecture.

Structural and surface analyses reveal that LM incorporation drastically modulates the local electrostatic environment of the fibers, consistent with enhanced interfacial polarization and charge trapping. Among the investigated formulations, the membrane containing 5 wt% LM delivers the optimal ambient triboelectric output, achieving an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 8.40 V, improved capacitor charging behavior, and stable operation over 10,000 cycles.