Recent advances in carbon-based materials for triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs): An integrated bibliometric and systematic review

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are emerging energy-harvesting devices that convert mechanical energy into electricity via electrostatic interactions. Their performance is critically dependent on the choice of triboelectric materials. Recently, carbon-based materials have gained significant attention for improving the efficiency and versatility of TENGs. This paper presents a systematic review with bibliometric analysis of 733 Scopus-indexed articles published between 2013 and July 2025, examining the evolution, performance, and applications of carbon-based TENGs. The study follows the PRISMA framework for systematic reporting but does not constitute a formal meta-analysis; rather, it provides a qualitative synthesis of reported performance metrics and a bibliometric mapping of research trends. The bibliometric analysis provides a preliminary mapping of research trends, including publication growth, qualitative heuristic phase observations, and keyword clusters. These heuristic phases are presented as analytical observations to organize the narrative, not as statistically validated periodization. The systematic review focuses on the performance and mechanisms of twelve carbon-based materials. This article further identifies current challenges, such as material stability, large-scale fabrication, and integration into practical systems, and explores future directions for optimizing carbon-based TENGs across diverse applications.