Rotary triboelectric nanogenerators have been widely used in the field of self-powering of the Internet of Things (IoT) as an effective way to capture the mechanical energy of the environment. However, the wear problem caused by long-term contact of friction materials seriously affects its durability in practical applications, which makes the output performance of the system decrease. In this paper, a multi-roller rotary triboelectric nanogenerator (MR-rTENG) based on charge pump strategy is proposed. By using rolling friction, the ambient mechanical energy can be converted into electrical energy with reduced friction resistance and material wear, while the non-contact design of the main TENG can effectively enhance the durability of the system. In addition, a charge pump supplemental charging strategy is introduced to greatly improve the output performance of the MR-rTENG. At 600 rpm, the voltage, current, and charge transfer reached 1785 V, 49 μA, and 187 nC, respectively, with a peak power of 36.38 mW and an effective contact area of only 8 cm². After 40,000 cycles, the output performance of MR-rTENG remains stable. It is able to charge a 10 μF capacitor to 10 V in 15 s and light up 174 light-emitting diodes (LEDs). MR-rTENG has been demonstrated as a power source for hydrogen production from electrolyzed water, driving the production of high-purity hydrogen gas from electrolyzed water. Electrolyzing water to produce hydrogen is a green and environmentally friendly technology, but its high cost limits its large-scale application. The realization of the application of research on hydrogen production from electrolytic water driven by renewable energy has further reduced the cost and promoted the application and promotion of this green technology.

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has a promising future in the field of energy harvesting and self-powered sensing due to their simplicity in structure, low cost, and efficient energy harvesting from the surrounding environment. The output electrical performance of TENG can be improved by doping the friction material with functional materials and modifying the surface of the friction material. However, the current method of adding functional materials to friction materials is costly and wasteful, and the method of modifying the surface structure of friction materials is cumbersome and not easy to operate. In this work, we present a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-MXene/gelatin triboelectric nanogenerator (PMMG-TENG) based on petal surface-microstructures, which has the advantages of low cost, simple preparation, high output performance, and ecological friendliness. By doping 0.03 wt.% of MXene in PDMS, the output electrical performance of TENG can be significantly improved, with an output current increase of up to 139.7%. Four different petals are used as natural molds to prepare PMMG-TENG. The results show that PMMG-TENG with peony petal surface microstructure has the best electrical performance, and the output current increase of up to 228.17% compared with PMMG-TENG without structure. The PMMG-TENG with peony petal surface-microstructure exhibits excellent electrical performance, demonstrating a maximum open-circuit voltage of 417.39 V and a maximum short-circuit current of 12.01 μA at a size of 3 cm × 3 cm, and a maximum power density of 170 μW/cm² at a load resistance of 10⁷ Ω. The PMMG-TENG’s output performance after 10,000 cycles is consistent with the initial state, highlighting excellent output stability. The PMMG-TENG can easily light up at least 100 light emitting diodes (LEDs). (operating voltage 3V.) Gelatin film exhibits excellent degradation performance, with complete degradation time of only 150 s in water at a constant temperature of 75 °C. PMMG-TENG not only shows excellent performance in the field of energy harvesting, but also has a broad application prospect in the field of self-powered sensing. This work provides a simple, low cost, natural and green method to significantly improve the output electrical performance of TENG.