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Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are an emerging energy harvesting technology able to convert ubiquitous mechanical energy into electricity. Friction, static charging and flexoelectricity are all involved in the mechanism underpinning TENG operation, but their relative contribution has remained elusive. Here we used dynamic and static conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) measurements on monolayer-modified silicon crystals to detect evidence of a relationship between friction and zero-bias current, and between pressure and the direction of the putative flexovoltage. We demonstrate that a static electricity-related tribovoltage is probably responsible for a friction excess, and that surprisingly this friction excess is found to be dependent on the doping level and type of the silicon substrate. Such friction excess is however no longer measurable once current is allowed to flow across the junction. This …