Metallic Ag with Suspended Network Structure Enhances the Power Generation Performance of NBT-Based Coupled...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Energy Harvesting

Background:

• Piezo-pyroelectric coupled nanogenerators (PPCNGs) are crucial for powering electronic devices using ambient vibration and thermal energy.
• Limitations in piezoceramics, such as low thermal conductivity and high internal resistance, hinder PPCNG performance.
• Developing advanced materials is essential to overcome these limitations and improve energy conversion efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the power generation capabilities of PPCNGs.
• To improve thermal conductivity and reduce internal resistance in piezoceramic materials.
• To explore the potential for multifunctional sensing in advanced nanogenerators.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-K0.5Bi0.5TiO3/Ag (NBT-KBT/Ag) composite ceramics.
• Introduction of a silver (Ag) second phase to create a suspended network structure.
• Characterization of the composite's thermal, electrical, and energy harvesting properties.
• Evaluation of PPCNG performance with the optimized composite.

Main Results:

• The suspended network structure in NBT-KBT/Ag ceramics improved phonon and carrier transport.
• Enhanced thermal conductivity and reduced internal resistance were observed in the composite.
• The optimized PPCNG achieved an output power density of 736.4 nW/cm³, a 4.7-fold increase.
• The PPCNG demonstrated capabilities for pressure and temperature sensing.

Conclusions:

• Constructing a suspended network structure is an effective strategy to enhance PPCNG output characteristics.
• The NBT-KBT/Ag composite offers a promising material for high-performance energy harvesting devices.
• The design strategy can be extended to develop multifunctional smart electronic devices.