High-performance flexible lead-free nanocomposite piezoelectric nanogenerator for biomechanical energy harvesting and storage. (July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Siddiqui, Saqib; Kim, Do-Il; Duy, Le Thai; Nguyen, Minh Triet; Muhammad, Shoaib; Yoon, Won-Sub; Lee, Nae-Eung
• Is Part Of: Nano energy. Volume 15(2015:Jul.)
• Page Start: 177
• Page End: 185
• Publication Date: 2015-07
• Subjects: P(VDF-TrFE) -- Barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanoparticles -- Nanocomposite -- Piezoelectric nanogenerator -- Energy storage; Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanostructured materials -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Nanoscience; Nanostructured materials; Nanotechnology; Power resources -- Technological innovations; Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2015.04.030
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2211-2855

Abstract

Abstract: Environmentally friendly and flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) have attracted considerable interest for use in autonomous micro-/nano-systems, wearable electronics, and implantable biomedical devices. Herein, a flexible, lead-free, solution-processable and efficient PENG is demonstrated, based on a highly piezoelectric nanocomposite thin film of barium titanate nanoparticles (BT NPs) embedded into a highly crystalline polyvinylidene fluoride–trifluoroethylene (P(VDF–TrFE)) polymer for charge storage. The nanocomposite PENG (nc-PENG) with high loading of BT NPs up to 40 wt% in the nanocomposite can produce output voltage as high as 9.8 V and output power density of 13.5 µW/cm2 under cyclic bending, comparable to the output of conventional inorganic polycrystalline lead zirconate titanate PENGs. The high performance of these nc-PENGs is primarily attributed to the very high effective piezoelectricity of the highly crystalline P(VDF-TrFE), strengthened by the BT NPs. The nc-PENG was also demonstrated to harvest biomechanical energy from simple body movements and store the generated electricity during mechanical and biomechanical motions in a rechargeable microbattery. Graphical abstract: Highlights: Lead-free piezoelectric nanocomposite with high piezoelectricity. Utilization of highly crystallized β-phase PVDF-TrFE matrix. Harvesting biomechanical energy and storing the generated electricity into a microbattery.