Functional Materials for Environmental Energy Harvesting in Smart Agriculture via Triboelectric Nanogenerators

Abstract

The push for sustainable smart agriculture amid climate change and resource constraints demands innovative energy solutions that minimize environmental impact. This review explores next-generation harvesters—particularly functional triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs)—and their potential to transform agriculture by converting ambient mechanical energy into electricity for self-powered sensors, enabling real-time monitoring, precision farming, and automation with reduced reliance on conventional power. However, deploying TENGs in agricultural settings presents challenges, including temperature fluctuations, variable air compositions, and irregular mechanical inputs. To address these, this review proposes materials-based and structural strategies to improve performance, and durability, emphasizing contamination as key determinant of electron transfer, with particle size and composition reshaping potential wells. The triboelectric charge transfer efficiency is highly sensitive to the separation distance between contact surfaces—especially in the presence of farm contaminants such as dust and organic residues—and design solutions are offered to mitigate this effect. To demonstrate the breadth of TENGs as functional and responsive materials, on-farm applications—including seed germination stimulation, precision pesticide delivery, food sterilization, and quality monitoring—are outlined, highlighting their versatile utility. Finally, recyclability, life-cycle assessments, and regulatory support are emphasized to accelerate adoption, positioning triboelectric harvesters as a cornerstone of self-powered, sustainable agriculture.