Research

16 pages, 6376 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Triboelectric Energy-Harvesting Floor Tile

by Panu Thainiramit, Subhawat Jayasvasti, Phonexai Yingyong, Songmoung Nandrakwang and Don Isarakorn

Materials 2022, 15(24), 8853; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15248853 - 12 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1909

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the real-world electrical parameters that strongly affected the performance of a triboelectric energy-harvesting floor tile design: triboelectric material thickness, cover plate displacement distance or gap width, and cover plate pressing frequency, so that real-world specifications [...] Read more.

The aim of this study was to investigate the real-world electrical parameters that strongly affected the performance of a triboelectric energy-harvesting floor tile design: triboelectric material thickness, cover plate displacement distance or gap width, and cover plate pressing frequency, so that real-world specifications of the harvesting floor tile can be accurately specified. The structure of the designed triboelectric energy harvester, with readily available polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film and aluminum foil, was simple and hence easy to fabricate, and the material cost was low. A square wave was used to simulate the pressing frequency on the test bench’s cover plate. The results showed that the voltage and current were proportional to the gap width, and the thinner the triboelectric layer thickness, the higher the output voltage and current. A test bench with a 0.2 mm thick PTFE triboelectric layer generated the highest energy output. In a later experiment, a triboelectric energy-harvesting floor tile (TEHFT) prototype was constructed with 0.1 and 0.2 mm thick PTFE layers. We found that at 2 Hz stepping frequency and 0.1 mm PTFE thickness, the optimal load and cumulative energy of the TEHFT were 0.8 MΩ and 3.81 mJ, respectively, while with 0.2 mm PTFE thickness, these two parameters were 1.1 MΩ and 7.69 mJ, respectively. The TEHFT with 0.2 mm thick PTFE layer was able to illuminate a series of 100 to 150 LEDs, sufficient power to drive small electronics and sensor nodes. This discovery provides important data on the structure, material, and contact surface area of a TEHFT that can be adjusted to suit specific requirements of a special function triboelectric energy harvester. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Materials and Devices for Energy Harvesting, Volume II)

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8 pages, 1641 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Simple and Low-Cost Footstep Energy-Recover Barocaloric Heating and Cooling Device

by Javier Garcia-Ben, Ignacio Delgado-Ferreiro, Jorge Salgado-Beceiro and Juan Manuel Bermudez-Garcia

Materials 2021, 14(20), 5947; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14205947 - 10 Oct 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2762

Abstract

In this work, we design, build, and test one of the very first barocaloric devices. The here presented device can recover the energy generated by an individual’s footstep and transform it into barocaloric heating and/or cooling. Accordingly, we present an innovative device that [...] Read more.

In this work, we design, build, and test one of the very first barocaloric devices. The here presented device can recover the energy generated by an individual’s footstep and transform it into barocaloric heating and/or cooling. Accordingly, we present an innovative device that can provide eco-friendly and gas-free heating/cooling. Moreover, we test the device by measuring a new barocaloric organic polymer that exhibits a large adiabatic temperature change of ~2.9 K under the application of 380 bar. These results pave the way towards novel and more advanced barocaloric technologies and provide a simple and low-cost device to explore new barocaloric materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Materials and Devices for Energy Harvesting, Volume II)

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28 pages, 8178 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance of a Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting System for an Energy-Autonomous Instrumented Total Hip Replacement: Experimental and Numerical Evaluation

by Hans-E. Lange, Nils Arbeiter, Rainer Bader and Daniel Kluess

Materials 2021, 14(18), 5151; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14185151 - 08 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2455 | Correction

Abstract

Instrumented implants can improve the clinical outcome of total hip replacements (THRs). To overcome the drawbacks of external energy supply and batteries, energy harvesting is a promising approach to power energy-autonomous implants. Therefore, we recently presented a new piezoelectric-based energy harvesting concept for [...] Read more.

Instrumented implants can improve the clinical outcome of total hip replacements (THRs). To overcome the drawbacks of external energy supply and batteries, energy harvesting is a promising approach to power energy-autonomous implants. Therefore, we recently presented a new piezoelectric-based energy harvesting concept for THRs. In this study, the performance of the proposed energy harvesting system was numerically and experimentally investigated. First, we numerically reproduced our previous results for the physiologically based loading situation in a simplified setup. Thereafter, this configuration was experimentally realised by the implantation of a functional model of the energy harvesting concept into an artificial bone segment. Additionally, the piezoelectric element alone was investigated to analyse the predictive power of the numerical model. We measured the generated voltage for a load profile for walking and calculated the power output. The maximum power for the directly loaded piezoelectric element and the functional model were 28.6 and 10.2 µW, respectively. Numerically, 72.7 µW was calculated. The curve progressions were qualitatively in good accordance with the numerical data. The deviations were explained by sensitivity analysis and model simplifications, e.g., material data or lower acting force levels by malalignment and differences between virtual and experimental implantation. The findings verify the feasibility of the proposed energy harvesting concept and form the basis for design optimisations with increased power output. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Materials and Devices for Energy Harvesting, Volume II)

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13 pages, 3736 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Possibility of Developing Magnetostrictive Fe-Co/Ni Clad Plate with Both Vibration Energy Harvesting and Mass Sensing Elements

by Kotaro Mori, Yinli Wang, Kenichi Katabira, Daiki Neyama, Ryuichi Onodera, Daiki Chiba, Masahito Watanabe and Fumio Narita

Materials 2021, 14(16), 4486; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14164486 - 10 Aug 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2115

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly around the world. In order to prevent the spread of infection, city blockades and immigration restrictions have been introduced in each country, but these measures have a severe serious impact on the economy. [...] Read more.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly around the world. In order to prevent the spread of infection, city blockades and immigration restrictions have been introduced in each country, but these measures have a severe serious impact on the economy. This paper examines the possibility of both harvesting vibration energy and detecting mass by using a magnetostrictive alloy. Few efforts have been made to develop new magnetostrictive biosensor materials. Therefore, we propose magnetostrictive Fe-Co/Ni clad steel vibration energy harvesters with mass detection, and we numerically and experimentally discuss the effect of the proof mass weight on the frequency shift and output voltage induced by bending vibration. The results reveal that the frequency and output voltage decrease significantly as the mass increases, indicating that the energy harvesting device is capable of mass detection. In the future, device miniaturization and the possibility of virus detection will be considered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Materials and Devices for Energy Harvesting, Volume II)

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Review

Jump to: Research, Other

49 pages, 11621 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in Organic Dyes for Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells under Indoor Lighting Conditions

by Francesco D’Amico, Bas de Jong, Matteo Bartolini, Daniele Franchi, Alessio Dessì, Lorenzo Zani, Xheila Yzeiri, Emanuela Gatto, Annalisa Santucci, Aldo Di Carlo, Gianna Reginato, Lucio Cinà and Luigi Vesce

Materials 2023, 16(23), 7338; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237338 - 25 Nov 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 969

Abstract

Among the emerging photovoltaic (PV) technologies, Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) appear especially interesting in view of their potential for unconventional PV applications. In particular, DSSCs have been proven to provide excellent performances under indoor illumination, opening the way to their use in the [...] Read more.

Among the emerging photovoltaic (PV) technologies, Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) appear especially interesting in view of their potential for unconventional PV applications. In particular, DSSCs have been proven to provide excellent performances under indoor illumination, opening the way to their use in the field of low-power devices, such as wearable electronics and wireless sensor networks, including those relevant for application to the rapidly growing Internet of Things technology. Considering the low intensity of indoor light sources, efficient light capture constitutes a pivotal factor in optimizing cell efficiency. Consequently, the development of novel dyes exhibiting intense absorption within the visible range and light-harvesting properties well-matched with the emission spectra of the various light sources becomes indispensable. In this review, we will discuss the current state-of-the-art in the design, synthesis, and application of organic dyes as sensitizers for indoor DSSCs, focusing on the most recent results. We will start by examining the various classes of individual dyes reported to date for this application, organized by their structural features, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. On the basis of this discussion, we will then draft some potential guidelines in an effort to help the design of this kind of sensitizer. Subsequently, we will describe some alternative approaches investigated to improve the light-harvesting properties of the cells, such as the co-sensitization strategy and the use of concerted companion dyes. Finally, the issue of measurement standardization will be introduced, and some considerations regarding the proper characterization methods of indoor PV systems and their differences compared to (simulated) outdoor conditions will be provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Materials and Devices for Energy Harvesting, Volume II)

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35 pages, 11614 KiB

Open AccessReview

Current Trends and Promising Electrode Materials in Micro-Supercapacitor Printing

by Tatiana L. Simonenko, Nikolay P. Simonenko, Philipp Yu. Gorobtsov, Elizaveta P. Simonenko and Nikolay T. Kuznetsov

Materials 2023, 16(18), 6133; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16186133 - 09 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1236

Abstract

The development of scientific and technological foundations for the creation of high-performance energy storage devices is becoming increasingly important due to the rapid development of microelectronics, including flexible and wearable microelectronics. Supercapacitors are indispensable devices for the power supply of systems requiring high [...] Read more.

The development of scientific and technological foundations for the creation of high-performance energy storage devices is becoming increasingly important due to the rapid development of microelectronics, including flexible and wearable microelectronics. Supercapacitors are indispensable devices for the power supply of systems requiring high power, high charging-discharging rates, cyclic stability, and long service life and a wide range of operating temperatures (from −40 to 70 °C). The use of printing technologies gives an opportunity to move the production of such devices to a new level due to the possibility of the automated formation of micro-supercapacitors (including flexible, stretchable, wearable) with the required type of geometric implementation, to reduce time and labour costs for their creation, and to expand the prospects of their commercialization and widespread use. Within the framework of this review, we have focused on the consideration of the key commonly used supercapacitor electrode materials and highlighted examples of their successful printing in the process of assembling miniature energy storage devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Materials and Devices for Energy Harvesting, Volume II)

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Graphical abstract

44 pages, 7544 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in Molybdenum Disulfide and Its Nanocomposites for Energy Applications: Challenges and Development

by Kamal Batcha Mohamed Ismail, Manoharan Arun Kumar, Shanmugam Mahalingam, Junghwan Kim and Raji Atchudan

Materials 2023, 16(12), 4471; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16124471 - 19 Jun 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2156

Abstract

Energy storage and conversion are critical components of modern energy systems, enabling the integration of renewable energy sources and the optimization of energy use. These technologies play a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable development. Supercapacitors play a vital [...] Read more.

Energy storage and conversion are critical components of modern energy systems, enabling the integration of renewable energy sources and the optimization of energy use. These technologies play a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable development. Supercapacitors play a vital role in the development of energy storage systems due to their high power density, long life cycles, high stability, low manufacturing cost, fast charging-discharging capability and eco-friendly. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has emerged as a promising material for supercapacitor electrodes due to its high surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, and good stability. Its unique layered structure also allows for efficient ion transport and storage, making it a potential candidate for high-performance energy storage devices. Additionally, research efforts have focused on improving synthesis methods and developing novel device architectures to enhance the performance of MoS₂-based devices. This review article on MoS₂ and MoS₂-based nanocomposites provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in the synthesis, properties, and applications of MoS₂ and its nanocomposites in the field of supercapacitors. This article also highlights the challenges and future directions in this rapidly growing field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Materials and Devices for Energy Harvesting, Volume II)

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