Design of Flexible Piezoelectric Nanocomposite for Energy Harvesters: A Review

Abstract

Piezoelectric materials that can effectively convert natural mechanical energy into electrical energy without time and space constraints have been widely applied for energy harvesting and conversion. The piezocomposites with high piezoelectricity and flexibility have shown great promise for renewable electric energy generation that can power implantable and wearable electronics. This minireview aims to summarize the recent progress of the piezocomposites with different composite structures, as well as the role of the theoretical understandings and designs in the development of new piezoelectric nanogenerator materials. Thereinto, the most common composite structural types (0-3, 1-3, and 3-3) have been discussed systematically. Several strategies for high output performance of piezocomposites are also proposed on the basis of current experimental and simulation results. Finally, the review concludes with perspectives on the future design of flexible piezoelectric nanocomposites for energy harvesters.