Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T02:11:33.099Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Piezoelectric Materials and Devices for Wind Energy Harvesting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 July 2011

John Lake ,
Jiyuan Luan ,
Zuki Tanaka ,
Bin Liang  and
Bin Chen
John Lake
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA NASA internship fellow, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, NY
Jiyuan Luan
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz CA
Zuki Tanaka
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA NASA internship fellow, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, NY Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz CA
Bin Liang
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz CA
Bin Chen
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz CA
Get access

Abstract

We present materials development in fabricating thin film devices for the conversion of wind energy as a sustainable energy source. We demonstrate the feasibility of piezoelectric polymer thin film devices to harvest wind energy in a miniature wind tunnel. Using an example of prototype device based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) thin film devices, we are able to obtain electrical power from the wind’s energy through the mechanical deformation of PVDF, such as that obtained from the films flapping in the wind. We have obtained a preliminary result of 1 mW power (at 15 mph wind) with a single layer of PVDF of 4 x 2 inches and 50 μm in thickness sandwiched between two thin gold electrode films. Additionally, the fracturing of metallic electrodes over time from the induced strain of this application lead to the significance of examining carbon nanotubes as compliant electrodes offering better mechanical properties while maintaining necessary electrical properties.

Keywords

piezoelectricelectronic materialstorage
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1325: Symposium E – Energy Harvesting—Recent Advances in Materials, Devices and Applications , 2011 , mrss11-1325-e03-23
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Yuan, W., Yu, Z., Hu, L., Lam, T., Biggs, J., Xi, D., Chen, B., Grűner, G., Pei, Q., “Fault-Tolerant Dielectric Elastomers using Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube Electrodes”, Adv. Mater., 3, 621 (2008).Google Scholar
2. Yu, Z., Yuan, W., Brochu, P., Chen, B., Liu, Z., Pei, Q., “Large-strain, rigid-to-rigid deformation of bistable electroactive polymers”, Applied Physics Letter, 95, 192904 (2009).Google Scholar
3. Qi, Y., Jafferis, N.T., Lyons, K., Lee, C.M., Ahmad, H., McAlpine, M.C.; “Piezoelectric Ribbons Printed onto Rubber for Flexible Energy Conversion” Nano Letters 10, 524 (2010).Google Scholar
4. Sencadas, V., Branciforti, M.C., Gregorio, R., Lanceros-Mendez, S.; “Molecular orientation and degree of crystallinity of Piezoelectric Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride) Films exclusively in the Phase”, Ferroelectrics 370, 29 (2008).Google Scholar
5. Dargaville, T. R., Celina, M.C., Elliott, J. M., Chaplya, P.M., Jones, G. D., Mowery, D.M., Assink, R. A., Clough, R. L., Martin, J. W.. Characterization, Performance and Optimization of PVDF as a Piezoelectric Film for Advanced Space Mirror Concepts. Sandia Report 2005.Google Scholar
6. Bormashenko, Ye, Pogreb, R., Stanevsky, O., Ed. Bormashenko, . Vibrational spectrum of PVDF and its interpretation. Polymer Testing 23 (2004) 791–796.Google Scholar
7. Liang, B. MS Thesis, “Piezoelectric Polymer Wind Harvester”, Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, 2010.Google Scholar
8. Constantino, C.J.L., Job, A.E., Simoes, R.D., Giacometti, J.A., Zucolotto, V., Oliveira, O.N. Jr., Gozzi, G., Chinaglia, D.L.. Investigation of α > β Phase Transition in Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride) (PVDF). Accessed from IEEE eXplore, (2010) 178–181.+β+Phase+Transition+in+Poly(Vinylidene+Fluoride)+(PVDF).+Accessed+from+IEEE+eXplore,+(2010)+178–181.>Google Scholar