Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. Stretchable piezoelectric elastic composites for sensors and energy generators
 
research article

Stretchable piezoelectric elastic composites for sensors and energy generators

Quinsaat, Jose Enrico Q.
•
de Wild, Tym
•
Nüesch, Frank A.  
Show more
2020
Composites Part B: Engineering

The search for a piezoelectric elastomer that generates an electrical signal when pressed and stretched has increased significantly in the last decade as they hold great promise in harvesting energy from human motion and monitoring human activities. Here, the excellent elasticity of polydimethylsiloxane-based elastomers and the piezoelectric properties of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) were combined and, using a thermally activated poling process, elastic piezoelectric composites were obtained. For this, two polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrices with a molar mass of 139 kDa and 692 kDa and PZT fillers with particle sizes of 2 and 20 μm were used. For the same poling conditions, an increase in the piezoelectric response with increasing amount of filler, filler size and molar mass of the polymer matrix was observed. Overall, d33 and d31 values of 2.7–40 pC N−1 and 16–48 pC N−1 were achieved in this work with filler contents ranging from 37–72 vol%. A composite material with a PZT filler content of 38 vol% (20 μm particle size) in a commercially available PDMS with a Mw = 139 kg mol−1 exhibited high flexibility, good elasticity with long-term mechanical stretchability and high longitudinal and transverse piezoelectric coefficients of 3.6 pC N−1 and 30 pC N−1, respectively. The higher transverse piezoelectric constant d*31 can be explained by an additional capacitor effect of the composite film structure. These properties are interesting features for energy conversion from human motion, monitoring human activities, and stretchable electronics. The functionality of the newly developed material is demonstrated in a pressed sensor.

  • Files
  • Details
  • Metrics
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name

1-s2.0-S1359836820332613-main.pdf

Type

Publisher's Version

Version

Published version

Access type

openaccess

License Condition

CC BY

Size

1.35 MB

Format

Adobe PDF

Checksum (MD5)

2f09c82f8295bfcee34dc88504210b8b

Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés