Flexible Piezoelectric Generators by Using the Bending Motion Method of Direct-Grown-PZT Nanoparticles on Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

Recently, composite-type nanogenerators (NGs) formed from piezoelectric nanostructures and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), have become one of the excellent candidates for future energy harvesting because of their ability to apply the excellent electrical and mechanical properties of CNTs. However, the synthesis of NG devices with a high proportion of piezoelectric materials and a low polymer content, such as of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), continues to be problematic. In this work, high-piezoelectric-material-content flexible films produced from Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT)-atomically-interconnected CNTs and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are presented. Various physical and chemical characterization techniques are employed to examine the morphology and structure of the materials. The direct growth of the piezoelectric material on the CNTs, by stirring the PZT and CNT mixed solution, results in various positive effects, such as a high-quality dispersion in the polymer matrix and addition of flexoelectricity to piezoelectricity, resulting in the enhancement of the output voltage by an external mechanical force. The NGs repeatedly generate an output voltage of 0.15 V. These results present a significant step toward the application of NGs using piezoelectric nanocomposite materials.

Piezoelectric Films Based on Polyethylene Modified by Aluminosilicate Filler

“…Thanks to their good piezoelectric properties, they are still used today, mainly in microelectronics, photovoltaics and sensor production. Currently, however, new materials with a strictly planned nanostructure (nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes) are being sought, that can meet the requirements of modern technologies [6,7,8,9,10,11]. Molecular solid solutions i.e., hybrid inorganic–organic systems, which combine the properties of both groups of compounds, are examples of such novel piezoelectrics.…”

“…Promising solutions in the design of piezoelectrics are materials containing carbon nanotubes (CNT) [9]. In this work, piezoelectric composite was formed in the process of direct growth of PZT on multi-walled CNTs and dispersed in the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) matrix.…”

Carbon Nanotube Films for Energy Applications

“…At just 0.07 wt% of MWCNTs, the device's output voltage amounted to 575.42 mV under 1 N, and the film produced from these materials was highly flexible. Furthermore, the blending of ceramics, PTFE, and MWCNTs was also found to be useful [236]. The favorable action of MWCNTs in these three-component piezoelectric materials was further verified by others using different formulations [237].…”

Unusual nanoscale piezoelectricity-driven high current generation from a self S-defect-neutralised few-layered MoS2 nanosheet-based flexible nanogenerator

“…Moreover, it was assumed that similar to the phenomenon of a capacitor, charge-pumped electron flow was driven back and forth via an external load, whereby the charging and discharging process create an alternating current-type charge signal. 52–55…”