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Micromachines
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Piezoelectric Microdevices for Energy Harvesting
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Piezoelectric Microdevices for Energy Harvesting

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "A：Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 4175

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lucian Pîslaru-Dănescu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Sensors/Actuators and Energy Harvesting, National Institute for Research and Development in Electrical Engineering ICPE-CA, 030138 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: piezoceramic; electrostrictive, magnetostrictive, electromagnetics, electrodynamic and electrothermal micro-actuators; semiconductor and electrochemical microsensors; use of composite materials as sensitive materials and electronic conditioning systems for sensors; applications of magnetic nanofluids as sensing materials as a component of a sensing element, as well as in microactuation; "energy harvesting"-type devices by using energy sources such as piezoceramic, photovoltaic and electromagnetic structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Ruyan Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
Interests: electronic and optoelectronic materials and devices, ferroelectric, piezoelectric and pyroelectric oxides; crystal chemistry and structure-composition-property relationships; low loss and frequency agile microwave dielectrics and devices; electrooptic, photorefractive and nonlinear optical single crystals; multifunctional and tunable composites for sensors, actuators and modulators
Dr. Marius Popa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Electromechanical and Electromagnetic Systems and Technologies, National Institute for Research and Development in Electrical Engineering ICPE-CA, 030138 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: piezoelectric and magnetostrictive microactuators; signal processing; data acquisition systems; micromachining; LIGA technology; electrodeposition; energy harvesting; cantilever structures; micromotors and microsensors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the latest advancements in piezoelectric microdevices for energy harvesting, exploring innovative materials, designs, and applications that enhance efficiency and sustainability. Piezoelectric energy harvesting offers a promising solution for powering low-energy electronic devices by converting ambient mechanical vibrations into usable electrical energy. With the growing demand for self-powered sensors, wearable devices, and IoT systems, optimizing micro-scale piezoelectric harvesters is critical.

The goal of this Special Issue is to seek novel composite piezoelectric materials with applications in energy harvesting (EH), as well as MEMS and thin film-based piezoelectric microdevices for EH.  Advanced piezo-structure fabrication techniques and system-level integration are also important topics.

It is our pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript to this Special Issue. Manuscripts will be welcomed from both academic researchers and authors from industries involved in this field. Topics of interest include the following:

  • Material Innovations: High-performance piezoceramics, polymers, and hybrid structures.
  • Device Design and Optimization: Microscale resonators, flexible harvesters, and frequency-tuning methods.
  • Applications: Autonomous sensors, biomedical implants, and industrial condition monitoring.
  • Modeling and Simulation: Multi-physics analysis and performance prediction.

This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for researchers to share breakthroughs in piezoelectric microenergy harvesting, fostering the shift toward sustainable, self-powered microsystems. Both experimental and theoretical studies are welcome, as well as reviews addressing current challenges and future trends.

Dr. Lucian Pîslaru-Dănescu
Prof. Dr. Ruyan Guo
Dr. Marius Popa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • energy harvesting
  • composite piezoelectric materials
  • piezoelectric microdevices
  • MEMS
  • self-powered systems
  • smart materials
  • thin films

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 5420 KB  
Article
Performance Investigation of a Flexible Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) Energy Harvester Array in a Two-Stage Vertical Parallel Configuration
by Yujin Song, Chong Hyun Lee and Jongkil Lee
Micromachines 2026, 17(2), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17020237 - 11 Feb 2026
Viewed by 497
Abstract
The performance characteristics of wind-induced energy harvesting were experimentally investigated using a flexible polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) energy harvester with a two-stage, parallel, and vertically aligned configuration. Ten PVDF film modules were serially connected to form a single set, and four identical sets were [...] Read more.
The performance characteristics of wind-induced energy harvesting were experimentally investigated using a flexible polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) energy harvester with a two-stage, parallel, and vertically aligned configuration. Ten PVDF film modules were serially connected to form a single set, and four identical sets were assembled into three different array configurations—2 × 2, 4 × 1, and 1 × 4—to systematically examine the effects of array geometry and vortex interaction on power generation performance. Experiments were conducted at wind speeds ranging from 1 to 3 m/s. At a wind speed of 3 m/s, the 2 × 2 array configuration achieved an average charging voltage of 2.895 V and a total output power of 0.731 W after 600 s, corresponding to approximately 3.3-fold and 4.2-fold increases, respectively, compared with those of the 4 × 1 (0.224 W) and 1 × 4 (0.176 W) configurations. Furthermore, the uniformity index (U = 0.701), vortex amplification index (G = 0.663), and array efficiency (η = 0.789) demonstrate that the 2 × 2 configuration provides the most uniform and efficient energy distribution among the tested configurations. These results indicate that the proposed two-stage parallel funnel-type PVDF energy harvester with a 2 × 2 array configuration is an effective design for high-efficiency energy harvesting, even under low wind speed conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Piezoelectric Microdevices for Energy Harvesting)
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21 pages, 7792 KB  
Article
Optimization of Magnetic Filler Loading and Interstitial Dielectric Percolation for Tunable Triboelectric–Electromagnetic Hybrid Generators
by Geunchul Kim, Jonghwan Lee, Yuseob Lee, Jihwon Keum, Inkyum Kim and Daewon Kim
Micromachines 2026, 17(2), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17020231 - 11 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1182
Abstract
In this study, a material-driven strategy is presented to realize tunable triboelectric–electromagnetic hybrid generators while overcoming the form-factor limitations of conventional magnet-assisted systems. A magneto-dielectric hybrid generator (MDHG) was constructed using a soft magnetized dielectric composite, where NdFeB microparticles were embedded in an [...] Read more.
In this study, a material-driven strategy is presented to realize tunable triboelectric–electromagnetic hybrid generators while overcoming the form-factor limitations of conventional magnet-assisted systems. A magneto-dielectric hybrid generator (MDHG) was constructed using a soft magnetized dielectric composite, where NdFeB microparticles were embedded in an Ecoflex matrix and activated by pulse magnetization, allowing a single compliant layer to operate simultaneously as a triboelectric contact medium and a magnetic flux source coupled to a coil. The magnetic filler loading was systematically optimized to elucidate the trade-off between enhanced electromagnetic induction and a non-monotonic triboelectric response governed by dielectric polarization, surface potential, and interfacial energetics. To selectively strengthen the triboelectric branch without sacrificing electromagnetic output, nanoscale BaTiO3 was introduced as an interstitial dielectric phase to promote polarization-active pathways and suppress screening-driven charge-utilization loss. Under contact–separation operation, the optimized MDHG produced triboelectric outputs up to a VOC of 400.40 V and ISC of 56.95 μA, while the electromagnetic branch delivered up to a VOC of 260.04 mV and ISC of 0.89 mA, corresponding to 2.87- and 2.62-fold increases in triboelectric VOC and ISC over pristine Ecoflex. Finally, the hybrid signatures enabled a wearable smart-skin interface capable of decoupling touch occurrence, intensity, and counter-material identity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Piezoelectric Microdevices for Energy Harvesting)
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14 pages, 5315 KB  
Article
A Triboelectricity-Driven Self-Sustainable System for Removing Heavy Metal from Water
by Jonghyeon Yun, Hyunwoo Cho, Geunchul Kim, Inkyum Kim and Daewon Kim
Micromachines 2026, 17(2), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17020229 - 11 Feb 2026
Viewed by 596
Abstract
As the demand for clean water grows, the strategic management of water resources has become increasingly critical. However, the depletion of these resources is being accelerated by anthropogenic pollutants and resultant internal pipe corrosion within distribution networks. Conventional water treatment methods are characterized [...] Read more.
As the demand for clean water grows, the strategic management of water resources has become increasingly critical. However, the depletion of these resources is being accelerated by anthropogenic pollutants and resultant internal pipe corrosion within distribution networks. Conventional water treatment methods are characterized by high energy consumption, rendering them impractical in environments lacking a continuous external power supply. Consequently, innovative, self-sustained technologies for simultaneously monitoring fluid conditions and purifying water are a necessity. In this work, we present a water-driven triboelectric nanogenerator (W-TENG) used for energy harvesting and water-quality monitoring within pipe networks. Composed of a silicone rubber tube and aluminum electrodes, the optimized W-TENG achieved an open-circuit voltage of 58 V, short-circuit current of 1.1 µA, and 59.5 mW/m2 at a 10 MΩ load. The W-TENG distinguishes pH levels and liquid types based on electrical outputs. Notably, a parallel connection of two W-TENGs enhanced electrical energy by 214% compared to the sum of two units. As an application, a self-powered electrochemical deposition was conducted and copper ions were successfully removed using energy stored in a 1 mF capacitor. These results indicate that the W-TENG is expected to be utilized as a self-powered platform for simultaneous water purification and real-time infrastructure monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Piezoelectric Microdevices for Energy Harvesting)
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23 pages, 24144 KB  
Article
Data-Driven Parameter Design of Broadband Piezoelectric Energy Harvester Arrays Using Tandem Neural Networks
by Zhiyan Cai, Rensong Yin, Chong Liu, Lingyun Yao, Rongxing Wu and Hui Chen
Micromachines 2026, 17(2), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17020210 - 4 Feb 2026
Viewed by 737
Abstract
Broadband piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) are attractive for powering self-sustained sensing nodes in industrial monitoring, structural health monitoring, and distributed IoT systems, where ambient vibration spectra are often uncertain, drifting, and broadband. However, tuning multiple resonant peaks in PEH arrays usually relies on [...] Read more.
Broadband piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) are attractive for powering self-sustained sensing nodes in industrial monitoring, structural health monitoring, and distributed IoT systems, where ambient vibration spectra are often uncertain, drifting, and broadband. However, tuning multiple resonant peaks in PEH arrays usually relies on time-consuming finite element (FE) parameter sweeps or iterative optimizations, which becomes a practical bottleneck when rapid, site-specific customization is required. This study presents a data-driven inverse-design framework for a five-beam PEH array based on a tandem neural network (TNN). A forward multilayer perceptron (MLP) surrogate is first trained using 10,000 COMSOL-generated samples to predict the array’s characteristic frequencies from the design variables (end masses M1–M5 and tilt angle α), achieving >98% prediction accuracy with a prediction time <1 s, thereby enabling efficient replacement of repeated FE evaluations during design. The trained MLP is then coupled with an inverse-design network to form the TNN, which maps target characteristic-frequency sets directly to physically feasible parameters through the learned surrogate. Multiple representative target frequency sets are demonstrated, and the TNN-generated designs are independently verified by COMSOL frequency–response simulations. The resulting arrays achieve broadband operation, with bandwidths exceeding 10 Hz. By shifting most computational cost to offline dataset generation and training, the proposed spectrum-to-parameter pathway enables near-instant parameter design and reduces reliance on exhaustive FE tuning, supporting rapid, application-specific deployment of broadband PEH arrays. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Piezoelectric Microdevices for Energy Harvesting)
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