A high-performance flexible piezoelectric hybrid nanogenerator (HNG) based on lead-free perovskite zinc stannate (ZnSnO3) nanocubes and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as supplement filling material is demonstrated. Even without any electrical poling treatment, the HNG possesses an open-circuit voltage of 40 V and a short-circuit current of 0.4 μA, respectively, under repeated human finger impact. It has been demonstrated that the output volume power density of 10.8 μW cm(-3) from a HNG can drive several colour light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a charge capacitor that powers up a calculator, indicating an effective means of energy harvesting power source with high energy conversion efficiency (∼1.17%) for portable electronic devices.

The electroactive β-phase is most desirable due to its highest piezo-, pyro- and ferroelectric properties in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). Induction of the β-phase is successfully accomplished in titanium dioxide (TiO) nanoparticles (NPs) doped spin-coated PVDF nanocomposite (PNC) films. The optimized yields of β-phase and homogeneous ultra-smooth free-standing PNC film is utilized in a mechanical-energy harvesting application by fabricating a nanogenerator (NG) where the typical electrical poling step is not undertaken. Under a repeated human finger touch and release process, it delivers an open-circuit voltage of 5 V. Moreover, the physical sensing capabilities of the NG are examined through harvesting mechanical energy from mouse clicking of a laptop and wrist pulse detection, which indicates that it can also be used as a nanosensor. The blue photoluminescence centred at 444 nm, which was also observed in PNC films, makes us anticipate a new type of photonic application where the design feasibility of hybrid sensors, i.e. electromechanical and photonic combination, is also possible.

Titanium dioxide (TiO) nanoparticles (NPs) embedded γ-phase containing polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposite (PNC) film turns to an excellent material for energy storage application due to an increased dielectric constant (32 at 1 kHz), enhanced electric breakdown strength (400 MV m). It also exhibits a high energy density of 4 J cm which is 25 times higher than that of virgin PVDF. 98% of the electroactive γ-phase has been acheived by the incorporation of TiO NPs and the resulting PNC behaves like a super-toughened material due to a dramatic improvement (more than 80%) in the tensile strength. Owing to their electroactive nature and extraordinary mechanical properties, PNC films have a strong ability to fabricate the piezoelectric nanogenerators (PNGs) that have recently been an area of focus regarding mechanical energy harvesting. The feasibility of piezoelectric voltage generation from PNGs is demostrated under the rotating fan that also promises further utility such as rotational speed (RPM) determination.

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FDM approach to build defect-free and intricate shapes of 3D printed ZrO2 based PLA composites.