Light
weight lead free, polymer, and carbon nanotubes based flexible
piezoelectric nanogenerators have prompted widespread concern for
harvesting mechanical energy and powering next generation electronics
devices. Herein, lightweight polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-carbon
nanotube (CNT) foam was prepared to fabricate humid resistant hydrophobic
flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator to converts mechanical energy
into electricity for the first time. Hydrophobic piezoelectric PVDF-CNT
foam with density of 0.15 g/cm3 was prepared by solution
route. PVDF-CNT foam exhibited crystalline and a well-defined chain
likes structure with 65% fraction of β-phase. Self-poled PVDF-CNT
foam shows piezoelectric charge coefficient (d33) of 9.4
pC/N. High d33 of PVDF-CNT foam is caused by dipole alignment
induced by local electric field of CNT in the microcellular structure
of PVDF. The developed foam exhibits ultrahigh dielectric constant
(ε′) ∼ 3048 at 150 Hz. Flexible piezoelectric
PVDF-CNT foam based nanogenerator was fabricated, which generates
high output voltage ∼12 V and current density of 30 nA/cm2 at small compressive pressure of 0.02 kgf. Piezoelectric
output performance was measured under different humid condition and
an output voltage up to 8 V was achieved even under 60% RH condition.
PVDF-CNT foam exhibited hydrophobic behavior and high surface water
contact angle of 139°. Such high output voltage even under small
pressure, without applying electrical poling and under humid condition
was originated though CNT induced self-alignment of electric dipoles
in PVDF polymer. These excellent performances of developed foam based
device confirmed its potential application in organic based ultrasensitive
self-powered nanosensors and nanosystems.
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