Design and development of ZnO based flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator for improved energy harvesting and novel applications

Abstract

Shrinking size of sensors and microprocessors in electronic industry driving the portability and wearability of devices forward, and it’s anticipated that by the end of year 2020, close to 40 billion sensor devices will be connected with one another[ 1]. Figure 1.1 shows the growth trend of connected devices in the last few years presented by CISCO, IBSG. With the increase in the number of devices and sensors, a huge technical challenge of energizing these sensors and devices arose. In order to perform essential functions, i.e. sensing, collecting data points, analyzing data and transmitting data points the device require sufficient energy. Additionally, with the advent of ultralightweight, flexible and wearable devices there is a need for biocompatible energy harvesting sources which are flexible, lightweight and portable[2]. Many ambient power harvesting technologies such as thermoelectric, triboelectric, piezoelectric, have been actively explored in the current decade in search of alternative power resources[2–7]. Such sources have the possibility to replace current portable power sources, (such as batteries) which are heavy, rigid and have limited energy storage capacity in the near future. Moreover, the life cycle of batteries limits its uses in the critical applications like pacemakers, turbine health monitoring systems, aves monitoring systems, etc. Hence, the development of alternative lightweight, clean energy sources is highly desirable for sustainable development.