Recent progress in understanding the microscopic origin of triboelectricity from mechanochemistry to thermoelectricity

Triboelectricity has long been discussed from ancient Greece to modern times in daily life experiences as well the earliest stages of planet formation and cutting-edge triboelectric nanogenerator technology. Despite numerous efforts scientists engineers, fundamental understanding friction-driven static electrification remained elusive. Here, we review recent progress microscopic origin triboelectricity, directly associated with frictional energy dissipation at interface, mechanochemistry, strain-driven polarization, tribo-tunneling thermoelectricity. Noticeably, note that thermoelectric charging mechanism due interfacial heat offers a generally applicable, but exactly solvable model weakly interacting regime, implying many opportunities based science technology future.