Progress of Triboelectric Nanogenerators Based on Bionic and Flexible Mechanisms for Wave Energy Collection System

ABSTRACT: Wave energy is a renewable, clean energy source with abundant reserves and wide distribution. However, its characteristics of low frequency, randomness, and multi-directionality lead to problems such as low conversion efficiency, complex structure, and high maintenance cost for the traditional collection system. The triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) can effectively address the above bottlenecks, while bionic design and flexible mechanisms can further enhance its adaptability to complex marine environments. This paper reviews the research progress of TENGs based on bionic and flexible mechanisms for wave energy collecting. It elaborates on the working principle and working modes, compares the performance differences with traditional structures, analyzes environmental adaptation and performance optimization strategies, and summarizes the advantages, disadvantages, and application potentials of different structures. Finally, it points out current challenges in durability, standardization, etc., and looks forward to future development directions such as marine-adaptive materials, hybrid collecting, and arrayed deployment, aiming to provide a systematic reference for researchers in related fields.