Extremely high energy density and long fatigue life of nano-silica/polymethylvinylsiloxane dielectric elastomer generator by interfacial design. (15th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Weibo; Liu, Xueying; Jiang, Yingjie; Wu, Wenju; Yu, Bing; Ning, Nanying; Tian, Ming; Zhang, Liqun
• Is Part Of: Nano energy. Volume 104(2022)Part A
• Publication Date: 2022-12-15
• Subjects: Dielectric elastomer generator (DEG) -- Energy density -- Fatigue life -- Interface -- Macromolecule coupling agent; 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.2022.107969
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2211-2855

Abstract

Abstract: Dielectric elastomer generator (DEG) can harvest electrical energy from various movement in nature such as human walking and ocean waves. To achieve high energy harvesting performance of DEG, dielectric elastomer (DE) composite with strong interfacial interaction, and thus high electrical breakdown strength ( E b ) and long fatigue life ( N FL ) at high strain is a key. In this study, nano-silica (SiO2 )/polymethylvinylsiloxane (PMVS) DE composite with strong interfacial interaction for DEG with extremely high energy density ( w ), high power conversion efficiency ( PCE ) and long N FL was prepared by designing and synthesizing a new polar macromolecule coupling agent (MCA), ester group grafted liquid butadiene rubber using a photoinitiated thiol-ene click reaction. Compared with the common small molecule coupling agent (SCA) modified SiO2 (SCA@SiO2 )/PMVS composite, the new MCA modified SiO2 (MCA@SiO2 )/PMVS composite shows much stronger interfacial interaction owing to the largely increased co-crosslinking junction and chain entanglement, resulting in the significantly improved elongation at break and Eb at high strain (400%). As a result, MCA@SiO2 /PMVS DEG exhibits an up-to-date highest w (92.2 mJ/cm 3 ) and PCE (35.8%) among the previously reported DEG using unprestretched DE film, and its N FL reaches 141000 times, 3.9 times that of SCA@SiO2 /PMVS DEG (36000 times). Thus, MCA@SiO2 /PMVS DEG shows the highest full-life generating energy density (9710 J/cm 3 ), 4.8 times and 2427 times that of SCA@SiO2 /PMVS DEG and commercial VHB DEG, respectively. Graphical Abstract: ga1 Highlights: PMVS composites with relatively high ε r and high electrical insulation were prepared. The grafting of MCA on SiO2 enhances both U 1 and N FL of the composites. High energy density (92.2 mJ/cm 3 ) and conversion efficiency (35.8%) were achieved. The full-life generating energy density reaches 9710 J/cm 3, 2427 times higher than VHB material. The influences of the interfacial interaction on energy harvesting performance are revealed.