Energy harvesting by piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride/zinc oxide/carbon nanotubes composite under cyclic uniaxial tensile deformation

Abstract In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/zinc oxide (ZnO)/carbon nanotubes (CNT) nano‐reinforced composites were fabricated by solution casting method. Addition of ZnO and CNTs nanoparticles enhances the electroactive polar β ‐phase of PVDF nanocomposites. Formation of β ‐phase in the composites were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis. Piezoelectric properties were investigated by applying uniaxial cyclic tensile deformation with the help of mechanical tensile tester device. The maximum generated voltage peak of 1.32 V was observed in the case of the nano‐reinforced composite having 15% ZnO, with maximum current of 0.61 μA and power of 0.66 μW. The fabricated PVDF/ZnO/CNTs nano‐reinforced composites can be a good candidate for human motion‐based energy harvesting applications during walking, running and so forth in which uniaxial deformation occurs.