Flexible PVDF Piezoelectric Nanogenerator Embedded With B_0.85Ca_0.15Zr_0.1Ti_0.9O₃ for Wearable Electronics

Abstract

Piezoelectric nanogenerators have attracted considerable attention due to their potential to provide sustainable and renewable energy for low‐power electronic devices, such as sensors, wearables, and wireless sensor networks. We report a lead‐free Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.10Ti0.90O3 (BCZT) nanoparticles‐embedded PVDF‐based flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG). The morphology, structure, and piezoelectric performances of pristine polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and BCZT–PVDF nanocomposite have been investigated. Raman spectroscopy is used to study the β‐phase fraction, which is maximum (~79%) for PVDF with 30 wt% BCZT nanoparticles. The change in morphology of PVDF is co‐related with the ion–dipole interactions between the dipoles of the PVDF matrix and the negative surface charge of BCZT nanoparticles (~18 mV), calculated from ζ‐potential analysis. The dielectric constant of the samples also increases from 10 to 48 with an increase in the BCZT filler content. The flexible nanogenerators devised from the composite exhibits excellent performance with a high recordable piezoelectric output open circuit voltage (VOC) of ~6.98 V, and output power of 86.5 μW under a very low constant vertical compressive force of 0.7 N at 1 MΩ.