Reliability Analysis of Coating Material on Polyvinylidene Fluoride Layers Used in Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvesting Device

Abstract

Piezoelectric energy harvesters operate by converting mechanical vibrations or strains into electrical energy. From recent research, it is understood that the choice of coating material for piezoelectric energy harvesters is a critical consideration that impacts the device’s performance, durability, and compatibility with the intended application. Selecting the right coating material involves balancing the electrical, mechanical, and environmental requirements to optimize energy conversion and reliability. There are methods like the thermocycling process that can provide an accelerated ageing of the energy harvester in order to conduct a reliability assessment. The thermocycling process was carried out for 450 h on six samples of piezoelectric cantilever-type energy harvesters made of copper–nickel- and aluminum-coated PVDF (Polyvinylidene fluoride) piezoelectric material. The effect of aluminum and copper–nickel coating on PVDF piezoelectric material before and after the aging process was studied. The numerical results of the generated output voltage, surface resistance, and capacitance values measured before and after the accelerated aging process are presented in this study. This work also discusses the structure of the developed energy harvester, thermocycling experiment setup, and methodology of conducting the ageing process. It aims to provide a conclusion on the suitability of the PVDF metal coating material, the type of conductive adhesive to be used in order to seal the PVDF material to the harvester core, improvements in the structural design and selection of materials to reduce mechanical fatigue and ensure even stress distribution, and minimizing points of stress concentration, to help mitigate piezoelectric material delamination risks.