Co-doped MOF-5 and carbon nanotube nanoparticles enhancing stability and high output performance in core-shell nanofibers for piezoelectric nanogenerators

The interfacial interaction of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) significantly enhances the output capability of piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs). However, overcoming the limitation of low specific surface area in one-dimensional materials remains a significant challenge. This paper introduces a hydrothermal method for composite MOF (C-M) using CNTs and MOF-5, demonstrating localized co-doping between them. Coaxial electrospun piezoelectric fiber membranes (C-MNF) were then prepared using PVDF/PAN as the matrix. Benefiting from C-M’s excellent crystallinity and its synergistic interaction with the polymer matrix, the C-MNF-based PENG showed a 125 % increase in output voltage, reaching ∼25 V, compared to coaxial membranes simply mixing MOF-5 and CNTs. As a result, its short-circuit current was ∼1.8 μA, with a piezoelectric coefficient d 33 of ∼400 pC N −1 . Consequently, this material exhibits superior piezoelectric output capabilities, paving the way for future functional material fabrication.