Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have garnered significant attention due to their high energy conversion efficiency and extensive application potential in energy harvesting and self-powered devices. Recent advancements in electrospun nanofibers, attributed to their outstanding mechanical properties and tailored surface characteristics, have meant that they can be used as a critical material for enhancing TENGs performance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the developments in electrospun nanofiber-based TENGs. It begins with an exploration of the fundamental principles behind electrospinning and triboelectricity, followed by a detailed examination of the application and performance of various polymer materials, including poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), polyamide (PA), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and other significant polymers. Furthermore, this review analyzes the influence of diverse structural designs—such as fiber architectures, bionic configurations, and multilayer structures—on the performance of TENGs. Applications across self-powered devices, environmental energy harvesting, and wearable technologies are discussed. The review concludes by highlighting current challenges and outlining future research directions, offering valuable insights for researchers and engineers in the field.

Controlling interfacial energy levels at semiconductor-liquid interfaces is critical yet challenging because charge separation is dictated by coupled semiconductor band bending and electrical double layers. Existing chemical and electrical regulation strategies inevitably require invasive treatments or external energy input. Here, we propose an iontrovoltaic mechanism, in which asymmetric electrical double layers establish ionic concentration gradients driving ionic directional migration. Triboelectrically induced ionic polarization simultaneously modulates electrical double layers and semiconductor band bending, enhancing the coupled electrical double layer-space charge region field to promote photocarrier separation. Coupled interfacial oxidation and ionic migration enable efficient ionic-electronic transport in iontrovoltaic nanogenerators. Local pH mapping, Kelvin probe measurements, and Mott-Schottky analysis confirm coupled ionic redistribution and band modulation. Integrating alkaline oxidation and infrared photothermal activation yields redox-coupled iontrovoltaic nanogenerators with a peak power density of 541 W m⁻², exceeding representative triboelectric, tribovoltaic, and triboiontronic systems. By coupling dynamic electrical double layer programming with semiconductor band modulation, iontrovoltaic effect establishes interfacial electrostatics as an active driver of energy conversion and ionic transport, opening opportunities for autonomous, low-power ionic-electronic systems.

Wind energy is an abundant and sustainable renewable resource, yet its stochastic and low-frequency characteristics pose significant challenges for efficient utilization. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have emerged as a promising technology for harvesting ambient wind energy, owing to their lightweight structures, low startup wind speeds, and excellent adaptability to irregular airflow conditions. Over the past decade, wind-driven TENGs have undergone rapid development, evolving from simple energy harvesters into multifunctional platforms capable of efficient energy conversion and self-powered sensing. Consequently, a timely review of this rapidly advancing field is highly desirable. This review provides a systematic overview of recent advances in wind-driven TENGs, covering their fundamental mechanisms, structural evolution, and emerging applications. The development of wind-driven TENGs from fluttering and rotary architectures to advanced direct-current systems is summarized, with key strategies for improving energy harvesting and output performance. Emerging applications in sustainable energy harvesting and self-powered sensing are highlighted, demonstrating the growing potential of wind-driven TENGs for energy utilization and environmental perception. Finally, future opportunities and challenges are discussed, including higher-efficiency energy harvesting, intelligent self-powered sensing, and integrated autonomous systems. This review aims to provide insights into future developments of wind-driven TENGs toward sustainable energy technologies and intelligent self-powered infrastructures.

The architecture of a triboelectric yarn controls how its active surface and electrode are presented in a knitted textile. Here, 4-, 6-, and 8-strand PTFE sheaths were braided around a conductive silver-yarn core and knitted with cotton into a 1 × 1 rib fabric. Increasing the sheath from 4 to 8 strands raised yarn linear density from 1150 to 2250 tex, fabric areal mass from 1650 to 3200 g m⁻², and electrical output. Under 70 N, the 8-strand textile generated 13.2 V and 21.5 mW m⁻² near 5 × 10⁸ Ω. At 3 Hz, current and transferred charge reached 28 nA and 1.4 nC. At 1 Hz and 70 N, it charged a 0.22 μF capacitor to 0.9 V in 90 s and maintained similar output over 250 cycles. These results associate strand count with short-term output.