Maximizing piezoelectricity by self-assembled highly porous perovskite-polymer composite films to enable the internet of things

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability Materials for energy and sustainability, 2020-07, Vol.8 (27), p.13619-13629
• Main Authors: Khan, Asif Abdullah, Rana, Md Masud, Huang, Guangguang, Mei, Nanqin, Saritas, Resul, Wen, Boyu, Zhang, Steven, Voss, Peter, Rahman, Eihab-Abdel, Leonenko, Zoya, Islam, Shariful, Ban, Dayan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: automobiles; Biomechanics; Bromine; chemistry; composite films; Composite materials; Electric power generation; electronics; energy; Energy harvesting; Industrial development; industry; Internet of Things; Iodine; lead; Low temperature; Nanogenerators; Perovskites; Piezoelectricity; Polymer films; Polymer matrix composites; Polymers; Polyvinylidene fluorides; Power management; Power sources; Renewable energy; Self-assembly; Sustainable development; thermoplastics; Vibrations; Wireless communications
• ISSN: 2050-7488; 2050-7496; 2050-7496
• DOI: 10.1039/d0ta03416a

There is an urgent demand in the industry for the development of compact, flexible, and sustainable power sources for self-powered internet of things (IoT) micro/nano devices. One of the most promising routes is to harness environmental energy through piezoelectric nanogenerators (PNGs). A novel, self-assembled, highly porous perovskite/polymer (polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) in this case) composite film was developed for fabricating high-performance piezoelectric nanogenerators (PNGs). The macroscopic porous structure can significantly enlarge the bulk strain of the piezoelectric composite film, which leads to a 5-fold enhancement in the strain-induced piezo potential. In addition, the novel hybrid halide perovskites (HHP)-formamidinium lead bromine iodine (FAPbBr 2 I) material can improve the conductivity of the final composite film due to its enhanced permittivity, providing a 15-fold amplification of the output current. Using these highly-efficient perovskite/polymer PNGs (P-PNGs), a peak output power density of 10 μW cm −2 (across a resistance of 7 MΩ) was obtained to run a self-powered integrated wireless electronic node (SIWEN). The P-PNG application was then extended to real-life scenarios including wireless data communication between the nanogenerators and personal electronics, efficient energy harvesting from automobile vibrations and also from biomechanical motion. This P-PNG based on a low-temperature full-solution synthesis approach, may initiate a paradigm shift by opening the realms of flexible PNGs as sustainable power sources. A high-performance perovskite/polymer piezoelectric nanogenerator for next generation self-powered wireless micro/nanodevices.