Surface Modification Due to Plasma Treatment of an Aluminum Electrode for a Triboelectric Generator

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the effect of surface modification on an aluminum (Al) electrode caused by plasma treatment for the output performance of a triboelectric generator (TEG). We performed the plasma-treated the surface of the Al electrode using a chlorine/argon (Cl-2/Ar) gas mixture plasma to increase the surface roughness and surface energy. The fraction of Ar in the Cl-2/Ar plasma was varied from 0% to 100%. The plasma was analyzed by optical emission spectroscopy and a double Langmuir probe. Measurements of the surface roughness and surface energy were performed using atomic force microscopy and the drop method with a contact angle goniometer at room temperature, respectively. The plasma treatment increased the surface roughness and surface energy of the Al electrode. After the plasma treatment, we fabricated a triboelectric energy harvester device. When treated with a pure Cl-2 plasma, the short-circuit current of the TEG increased by 207% compared with that of the untreated samples.