Lead-free BaTiO3 nanowires-based flexible nanocomposite generator

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Energy Harvesting

Background:

• Flexible energy harvesting devices are crucial for portable electronics.
• Barium titanate nanowires (BaTiO3 NWs) possess piezoelectric properties suitable for energy generation.
• Developing lead-free and eco-friendly piezoelectric materials is a significant research goal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize lead-free barium titanate nanowires (BaTiO3 NWs) using a low-temperature hydrothermal method.
• To develop a flexible nanocomposite generator (NCG) device using BaTiO3 NWs embedded in a polymer matrix.
• To demonstrate the energy harvesting capability of the NCG device for powering electronic components.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal synthesis of BaTiO3 NWs at low temperatures.
• Fabrication of a piezoelectric nanocomposite (p-NC) by mixing BaTiO3 NWs with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) without toxic enhancers.
• Development of the NCG device using a scalable spin-coating technique.
• Characterization of the device's electrical output under bending and unbending motions.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of BaTiO3 NWs via a simple hydrothermal method.
• Fabrication of a flexible, lead-free NCG device using a BaTiO3 NWs-PDMS composite.
• The NCG device generated an output voltage of approximately 7.0 V and a current of 360 nA.
• The harvested energy was sufficient to drive a liquid crystal display (LCD).
• Instantaneous power output of approximately 1.2 μW was characterized.

Conclusions:

• A low-cost, scalable method for producing BaTiO3 NWs and NCG devices has been established.
• The developed BaTiO3 NW-based NCG is a promising lead-free solution for flexible energy harvesting.
• The NCG device demonstrates practical application potential by powering an LCD screen.