Enhanced Output Performance of a Flexible Piezoelectric Nanogenerator Realized by Lithium-Doped Zinc Oxide Nanowires Decorated on MXene

A flexible piezoelectric composite is composed of a polymer matrix and piezoelectric ceramic fillers to achieve good mechanical flexibility and processability. The overall piezoelectric performance of a composite is largely determined by the piezoelectric filler inside. Thus, different dispersion methods and additives that can promote the dispersion of piezoelectric ceramics and optimal composite structures have been actively investigated. However, relatively few attempts have been made to develop a filler that can effectively contribute to the performance enhancement of piezoelectric devices. In the present work, we introduce the fabrication and performance of the composite piezoelectric devices composed of Li-doped ZnO nanowires (Li: ZnO NWs) grown on the surface of MXene (Ti₃C₂) via the hydrothermal process. Through this approach, a semiconductor-metal hybrid structure is formed, increasing the overall permittivity. Moreover, the Ti₃C₂ layer can serve as a local ground in the composite so that the ferroelectric phase-transformed Li: ZnO NWs grown on its surface can be more effectively polarized during the poling process. In addition, the NW-covered surface of Ti₃C₂ prevents the aggregation of metallic Ti₃C₂ particles, promoting a more uniform electric field distribution during the poling process. As a result, the output performance of the piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG) fabricated with a Li: ZnO NW/Ti₃C₂ composite was greatly improved compared to that of the devices fabricated with Li: ZnO NWs without the Ti₃C₂ platform. Specifically, the Li: ZnO NW/Ti₃C₂ composite piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG) demonstrated a twofold higher output power density (∼9 μW/cm²) compared with the values obtained from the PENG devices based on Li: ZnO NWs. The approach introduced in this work can be easily adopted for an effective ferroelectric filler design to improve the output performance of the piezoelectric composite.