Integrating KPFM Characterisation, COMSOL Multiphysics Simulation and Physics-Informed cVAE for Multi-Polymer Triboelectric Nanogenerator Optimisation.
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| Title: | Integrating KPFM Characterisation, COMSOL Multiphysics Simulation and Physics-Informed cVAE for Multi-Polymer Triboelectric Nanogenerator Optimisation. |
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| Authors: | Rahul, T. Pavan1 (AUTHOR), Sreekanth, P. S. Rama1 (AUTHOR) happyshrikanth@gmail.com |
| Source: | Materials (1996-1944). May2026, Vol. 19 Issue 9, p1790. 26p. |
| Subjects: | Kelvin probe force microscopy, Simulation software, Dielectric materials, Surface charges, Nanogenerators, Energy harvesting, Mathematical optimization |
| Abstract: | Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offer a promising route for self-powered microscale energy harvesting, yet their design optimisation remains empirically challenging due to the complex interplay of material surface physics, device geometry and operating mode. In this work, we present an integrated framework that combines atomic force microscopy (AFM) characterisation, COMSOL Multiphysics 6.0 finite element simulation and physics-informed conditional variational autoencoder (cVAE) to predict and optimise TENG output performance. Four polymer dielectric materials, HDPE, LDPE, TPU, and PMMA, were characterised via Kelvin Probe Force microscopy (KPFM) for work function, surface potential and surface roughness. Surface charge density was calculated from measured KPFM potential using the parallel plate capacitor model and used as a boundary condition in COMSOL Multiphysics simulations for contact-separation and lateral sliding TENG mode for dielectric film thicknesses of 50 µm and 100 µm. The simulated open circuit voltage (Voc) and short circuit charge (Qsc) across gap distances up to 150 mm formed the training dataset for a cVAE model with eight physicochemical condition features. The trained model demonstrated strong reconstruction accuracy (R2 ≥ 0.94) and enables generative prediction across unseen design spaces. Results reveal that the LDPE/TPU pair at 50 µm thickness consistently achieves the highest electric outputs in both modes, and the sliding mode yields 25–30% higher voltages than the contact separation mode across all material pairs. This study provides a transferable data-efficient methodology for accelerating TENG material and geometry optimisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Materials (1996-1944) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 193715596 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Integrating KPFM Characterisation, COMSOL Multiphysics Simulation and Physics-Informed cVAE for Multi-Polymer Triboelectric Nanogenerator Optimisation. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rahul%2C+T%2E+Pavan%22">Rahul, T. Pavan</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sreekanth%2C+P%2E+S%2E+Rama%22">Sreekanth, P. S. Rama</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> happyshrikanth@gmail.com</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Materials+%281996-1944%29%22">Materials (1996-1944)</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 19 Issue 9, p1790. 26p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kelvin+probe+force+microscopy%22">Kelvin probe force microscopy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Simulation+software%22">Simulation software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dielectric+materials%22">Dielectric materials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Surface+charges%22">Surface charges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nanogenerators%22">Nanogenerators</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Energy+harvesting%22">Energy harvesting</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematical+optimization%22">Mathematical optimization</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) offer a promising route for self-powered microscale energy harvesting, yet their design optimisation remains empirically challenging due to the complex interplay of material surface physics, device geometry and operating mode. In this work, we present an integrated framework that combines atomic force microscopy (AFM) characterisation, COMSOL Multiphysics 6.0 finite element simulation and physics-informed conditional variational autoencoder (cVAE) to predict and optimise TENG output performance. Four polymer dielectric materials, HDPE, LDPE, TPU, and PMMA, were characterised via Kelvin Probe Force microscopy (KPFM) for work function, surface potential and surface roughness. Surface charge density was calculated from measured KPFM potential using the parallel plate capacitor model and used as a boundary condition in COMSOL Multiphysics simulations for contact-separation and lateral sliding TENG mode for dielectric film thicknesses of 50 µm and 100 µm. The simulated open circuit voltage (Voc) and short circuit charge (Qsc) across gap distances up to 150 mm formed the training dataset for a cVAE model with eight physicochemical condition features. The trained model demonstrated strong reconstruction accuracy (R2 ≥ 0.94) and enables generative prediction across unseen design spaces. Results reveal that the LDPE/TPU pair at 50 µm thickness consistently achieves the highest electric outputs in both modes, and the sliding mode yields 25–30% higher voltages than the contact separation mode across all material pairs. This study provides a transferable data-efficient methodology for accelerating TENG material and geometry optimisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Materials (1996-1944) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.3390/ma19091790 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 26 StartPage: 1790 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Kelvin probe force microscopy Type: general – SubjectFull: Simulation software Type: general – SubjectFull: Dielectric materials Type: general – SubjectFull: Surface charges Type: general – SubjectFull: Nanogenerators Type: general – SubjectFull: Energy harvesting Type: general – SubjectFull: Mathematical optimization Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Integrating KPFM Characterisation, COMSOL Multiphysics Simulation and Physics-Informed cVAE for Multi-Polymer Triboelectric Nanogenerator Optimisation. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rahul, T. Pavan – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sreekanth, P. S. Rama IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 19961944 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 19 – Type: issue Value: 9 Titles: – TitleFull: Materials (1996-1944) Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
