Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) technology has emerged as a novel method for harvesting mechanical energy, offering several benefits, notably for portable electronics and self-powered sensor technology. This paper presents a study on the impact of varying the area and thickness of triboelectric layers on the performance of conductor-to-dielectric contact mode TENGs using COMSOL Multiphysics simulations. By systematically altering the surface area and thickness of the triboelectric materials as well as electrodes, we aim to understand their influence on key performance metrics, including electric field and potential distribution, open circuit voltage ( \(\:{V}_{oc}\) ) and short circuit charge transferred ( \(\:{Q}_{sc}\) ). The simulations reveal that an increase in surface area generally leads to higher \(\:{V}_{oc}\) and \(\:{Q}_{sc}\) due to enhanced charge generation, separation, and collection. Similarly, an increase in the thickness of the triboelectric layer reduces the electric potential distribution across the electrode bonded over the dielectric, \(\:{V}_{oc}\) , and \(\:{Q}_{sc}\) thereby influencing the overall efficiency of the TENG. Furthermore, it was observed that the variation in electrode thickness has no notable impact on the electric field distribution, \(\:{V}_{oc}\) , and \(\:{Q}_{sc}\) . The simulation findings are validated through practical experiments to provide valuable insights into the optimization of TENG designs, highlighting the critical role of geometric parameters in maximizing energy harvesting efficiency. This study lays the groundwork for future experimental validations and practical applications of optimized TENG configurations.
