Submicron graphite platelet-incorporated PVDF composite: an efficient body motion-based energy harvester for flexible electronics

The fast expanding field of wearable technology requires light-weight, low-cost, scalable, flexible and efficient energy harvesters as a source of uninterrupted green power. This work reports fabrication of sub-micron graphite platelet/PVDF composite film-based flexible piezoelectric energy harvester (PGEH) for scavenging the wasted mechanical energy associated with human body motion. The addition of graphite platelet leads to the enhancement of electroactive beta phase in PVDF; consequently, the piezoelectric and dielectric properties of the composite are enhanced. 0.5 wt% filler-loaded composite has 96% beta phase fraction and dielectric constant 32 at 100 Hz (tan delta = 0.18).The PGEH produces open circuit voltage of 40 V and instantaneous power density of 3.35 mW cm(-3) with energy conversion efficiency of 22.5% under periodic finger tapping. It can generate fair electrical output under gentle heel (0.8 V) and toe movements (1.2 V). A PGEH is directly employed for powering 50 commercial LEDs and quick charging of a 2.2-mu F capacitor upto 19.2 V. The device is also employed as self-powered dynamic pressure sensor which shows high sensitivity (0.9 VkPa(-1)) with fast response time (1 ms). Therefore, this durable, flexible, efficient PGEH can have promising applications in wearable electronics as a green power source cum self-powered mechanosensor

NiO@SiO₂/PVDF: A Flexible Polymer Nanocomposite for a High Performance Human Body Motion-Based Energy Harvester and Tactile e‑Skin Mechanosensor

Advancement in self-powered portable and wearable electronics mostly depends on the realization of an efficient human activity-based energy harvester and electronic skin (e-skin)-mimicking tactile mechanosensing property of natural human skin. A human activity-based energy harvester can supply power to flexible, potable, electronics equipment associated with the human body, whereas a tactile e-skin mechanosensor can precisely detect static and dynamic pressure stimuli. Here, we report development of a NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposite, a facile piezoelectric material possessing superior flexibility that is light in weight and has low cost, which is an excellent choice for the next generation mechanical energy harvester and tactile e-skin sensors. The fabricated piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG) comprising nanocomposites shows very promising output under application of the biomechanical force on it. PNG15 exhibits high output voltage (53 V), adequate current density (∼0.3 μA/cm²), high power density (685 W/m³), and superior conversion efficiency (13.86%). Gentle human finger imparting onto the PNG produces enough electric power to directly illuminate as many as 85 numbers of commercial LEDs and charge a 2.2 μF capacitor up to 22 V within 450 s. The nanogenerator is successfully exploited to generate electrical power by converting mechanical energy from different human activities. We also demonstrate the high mechanosensing capability of a thin, flexible e-skin sensor based on NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposites. Because of the high sensitivity, the fabricated e-skin sensor can detect precisely the spatiotemporal distribution of pressure stimuli in static and dynamic conditions. The e-skin sensor is capable of sensing very low level pressure stimuli with a short response time. The promising role of e-skin in real time healthcare monitoring is assessed where a hand-data glove attached with self-powered e-skin sensors can distinguish movements of different fingers. The spatial distribution of pressure stimuli is also resolved by a sensing matrix containing e-skin sensors as pixels. Moreover the operation mechanical stability of the composites is very high which enables this composite to be used in e-skin sensor and energy harvester applications. Our work verifies the scope of NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposites in nanogenerators and e-skin applications which are essential components in the field of wearable self-powered electronics, healthcare monitoring, and artificial intelligence attached to a human body

NiO@SiO₂/PVDF: A Flexible Polymer Nanocomposite for a High Performance Human Body Motion-Based Energy Harvester and Tactile e‑Skin Mechanosensor

Advancement in self-powered portable and wearable electronics mostly depends on the realization of an efficient human activity-based energy harvester and electronic skin (e-skin)-mimicking tactile mechanosensing property of natural human skin. A human activity-based energy harvester can supply power to flexible, potable, electronics equipment associated with the human body, whereas a tactile e-skin mechanosensor can precisely detect static and dynamic pressure stimuli. Here, we report development of a NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposite, a facile piezoelectric material possessing superior flexibility that is light in weight and has low cost, which is an excellent choice for the next generation mechanical energy harvester and tactile e-skin sensors. The fabricated piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG) comprising nanocomposites shows very promising output under application of the biomechanical force on it. PNG15 exhibits high output voltage (53 V), adequate current density (∼0.3 μA/cm²), high power density (685 W/m³), and superior conversion efficiency (13.86%). Gentle human finger imparting onto the PNG produces enough electric power to directly illuminate as many as 85 numbers of commercial LEDs and charge a 2.2 μF capacitor up to 22 V within 450 s. The nanogenerator is successfully exploited to generate electrical power by converting mechanical energy from different human activities. We also demonstrate the high mechanosensing capability of a thin, flexible e-skin sensor based on NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposites. Because of the high sensitivity, the fabricated e-skin sensor can detect precisely the spatiotemporal distribution of pressure stimuli in static and dynamic conditions. The e-skin sensor is capable of sensing very low level pressure stimuli with a short response time. The promising role of e-skin in real time healthcare monitoring is assessed where a hand-data glove attached with self-powered e-skin sensors can distinguish movements of different fingers. The spatial distribution of pressure stimuli is also resolved by a sensing matrix containing e-skin sensors as pixels. Moreover the operation mechanical stability of the composites is very high which enables this composite to be used in e-skin sensor and energy harvester applications. Our work verifies the scope of NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposites in nanogenerators and e-skin applications which are essential components in the field of wearable self-powered electronics, healthcare monitoring, and artificial intelligence attached to a human body

NiO@SiO₂/PVDF: A Flexible Polymer Nanocomposite for a High Performance Human Body Motion-Based Energy Harvester and Tactile e‑Skin Mechanosensor

Advancement in self-powered portable and wearable electronics mostly depends on the realization of an efficient human activity-based energy harvester and electronic skin (e-skin)-mimicking tactile mechanosensing property of natural human skin. A human activity-based energy harvester can supply power to flexible, potable, electronics equipment associated with the human body, whereas a tactile e-skin mechanosensor can precisely detect static and dynamic pressure stimuli. Here, we report development of a NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposite, a facile piezoelectric material possessing superior flexibility that is light in weight and has low cost, which is an excellent choice for the next generation mechanical energy harvester and tactile e-skin sensors. The fabricated piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG) comprising nanocomposites shows very promising output under application of the biomechanical force on it. PNG15 exhibits high output voltage (53 V), adequate current density (∼0.3 μA/cm²), high power density (685 W/m³), and superior conversion efficiency (13.86%). Gentle human finger imparting onto the PNG produces enough electric power to directly illuminate as many as 85 numbers of commercial LEDs and charge a 2.2 μF capacitor up to 22 V within 450 s. The nanogenerator is successfully exploited to generate electrical power by converting mechanical energy from different human activities. We also demonstrate the high mechanosensing capability of a thin, flexible e-skin sensor based on NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposites. Because of the high sensitivity, the fabricated e-skin sensor can detect precisely the spatiotemporal distribution of pressure stimuli in static and dynamic conditions. The e-skin sensor is capable of sensing very low level pressure stimuli with a short response time. The promising role of e-skin in real time healthcare monitoring is assessed where a hand-data glove attached with self-powered e-skin sensors can distinguish movements of different fingers. The spatial distribution of pressure stimuli is also resolved by a sensing matrix containing e-skin sensors as pixels. Moreover the operation mechanical stability of the composites is very high which enables this composite to be used in e-skin sensor and energy harvester applications. Our work verifies the scope of NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposites in nanogenerators and e-skin applications which are essential components in the field of wearable self-powered electronics, healthcare monitoring, and artificial intelligence attached to a human body

NiO@SiO₂/PVDF: A Flexible Polymer Nanocomposite for a High Performance Human Body Motion-Based Energy Harvester and Tactile e‑Skin Mechanosensor

Advancement in self-powered portable and wearable electronics mostly depends on the realization of an efficient human activity-based energy harvester and electronic skin (e-skin)-mimicking tactile mechanosensing property of natural human skin. A human activity-based energy harvester can supply power to flexible, potable, electronics equipment associated with the human body, whereas a tactile e-skin mechanosensor can precisely detect static and dynamic pressure stimuli. Here, we report development of a NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposite, a facile piezoelectric material possessing superior flexibility that is light in weight and has low cost, which is an excellent choice for the next generation mechanical energy harvester and tactile e-skin sensors. The fabricated piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG) comprising nanocomposites shows very promising output under application of the biomechanical force on it. PNG15 exhibits high output voltage (53 V), adequate current density (∼0.3 μA/cm²), high power density (685 W/m³), and superior conversion efficiency (13.86%). Gentle human finger imparting onto the PNG produces enough electric power to directly illuminate as many as 85 numbers of commercial LEDs and charge a 2.2 μF capacitor up to 22 V within 450 s. The nanogenerator is successfully exploited to generate electrical power by converting mechanical energy from different human activities. We also demonstrate the high mechanosensing capability of a thin, flexible e-skin sensor based on NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposites. Because of the high sensitivity, the fabricated e-skin sensor can detect precisely the spatiotemporal distribution of pressure stimuli in static and dynamic conditions. The e-skin sensor is capable of sensing very low level pressure stimuli with a short response time. The promising role of e-skin in real time healthcare monitoring is assessed where a hand-data glove attached with self-powered e-skin sensors can distinguish movements of different fingers. The spatial distribution of pressure stimuli is also resolved by a sensing matrix containing e-skin sensors as pixels. Moreover the operation mechanical stability of the composites is very high which enables this composite to be used in e-skin sensor and energy harvester applications. Our work verifies the scope of NiO@SiO₂/PVDF nanocomposites in nanogenerators and e-skin applications which are essential components in the field of wearable self-powered electronics, healthcare monitoring, and artificial intelligence attached to a human body

Visible light driven degradation of brilliant green dye using titanium based ternary metal oxide photocatalyst

We report a novel copper and cobalt impregnated titanium based ternary metal oxide nanocomposite (CuCO0.5Ti0.5O2) synthesized via simple chemical method. X-ray diffraction pattern and SAED pattern reveals the well crystallinity (R (3) over tildem space group) and phase purity of the synthesized sample. TEM micrograph shows the nano size and heterostructure of the product. Nanoporous nature of the synthesized product is observed from BET analysis. The incorporation of the copper and cobalt in titanium oxide nanoparticle host modifies the band gap of the host and a broadband absorption spectrum (similar to 325 nm to 800 nm) of the nanocomposite is observed from the UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy analysis. Photoluminescence (PL) spectrum confirms generation of sufficient electron-hole pairs which could actively participate in photodegradation activity. Photocatalytic performance of the product has been investigated by degrading brilliant green (BG) dye, which shows excellent activity with increased catalytic material loading. The photocatalytic activity is enhanced at high pH level of the solution. Reusability experiments confirms that the catalyst material is reusable with almost same efficiency for degrading BG dye. Wavelength selective photocatalytic degradation of BG dye reveals that the CuCO0.5Ti0.5O2 nanocomposite shows the highest activity under blue-green illumination

Visible light driven degradation of brilliant green dye using titanium based ternary metal oxide photocatalyst

We report a novel copper and cobalt impregnated titanium based ternary metal oxide nanocomposite (CuCO0.5Ti0.5O2) synthesized via simple chemical method. X-ray diffraction pattern and SAED pattern reveals the well crystallinity (R3̃m space group) and phase purity of the synthesized sample. TEM micrograph shows the nano size and heterostructure of the product. Nanoporous nature of the synthesized product is observed from BET analysis. The incorporation of the copper and cobalt in titanium oxide nanoparticle host modifies the band gap of the host and a broadband absorption spectrum (∼325 nm to 800 nm) of the nanocomposite is observed from the UV–Vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy analysis. Photoluminescence (PL) spectrum confirms generation of sufficient electron-hole pairs which could actively participate in photodegradation activity. Photocatalytic performance of the product has been investigated by degrading brilliant green (BG) dye, which shows excellent activity with increased catalytic material loading. The photocatalytic activity is enhanced at high pH level of the solution. Reusability experiments confirms that the catalyst material is reusable with almost same efficiency for degrading BG dye. Wavelength selective photocatalytic degradation of BG dye reveals that the CuCO0.5Ti0.5O2 nanocomposite shows the highest activity under blue-green illumination. Keywords: CuCo0.5Ti0.5O2 nanocomposite, Nanoporous, Bandgap modification, Visible light driven photocatalysis, Brilliant green dy