Dielectric Change of Copper Phthalocyanine and Polyurethane Foam with High Elasticity as a Function of Pressure Discussed in Terms of Conversion from Natural Mechanical Energy to Electric Energy

Abstract

A composite with both high permittivity and high elasticity was prepared by using copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and polyurethane (PU) foam. The formation and chemical, structural, and electrical characterizations of CuPc and the PU/CuPc composites were described, and a variety of analytical methods were proposed to examine the structure and the morphology of the specimens. The electrical characterization of the specimens was performed for a molded CuPc film and the PU/CuPc composite in the frequency range from 0.1 Hz to 1 MHz. The frequency dependencies of impedance (Z*), permittivity (ε*), and electrical modulus (M*) were analyzed by combinational models of circuits. The effects of the enhanced dielectric properties of the composite at 0.1 Hz indicating predominance of the dc component were evaluated by the tunneling effect theoretically. The electric energy evaluated as a function of pressure suggested that the PU/CuPc composite foam is a promising material with successful conversion from natural mechanical energy to electric energy.