Electromechanical Performance and Stability of Flexible Energy‐Harvesting CeO 2 /Polyvinylidene Fluoride Piezoelectric Nanogenerators With Zn Doping

ABSTRACT Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrices with embedded nanostructured fillers are extensively used in piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) for harvesting mechanical energy. In this study, we synthesized well‐defined zinc‐doped cerium oxide (Zn x ‐CeO 2 ) nanocubes via hydrothermal process and deposited flexible Zn‐CeO 2 /PVDF films via supersonic cold spraying. The supersonic velocity of cold spraying exerted shear stress on the Zn‐CeO 2 /PVDF droplets, which increased the PVDF polar phase content to 77.1% in the optimized sample (fabricated with 10 wt% Zn), as confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The enhanced polarity of the PVDF matrix improved the ionic interactions between atoms in the polymer phase and the altered surface charges associated with Zn‐doped CeO 2 , resulting in a substantial piezopotential of 22.2 V under a tapping force of 20 N. The device delivered a maximum power output of 173 μW and was highly durable, with a cyclability of over 4200 cycles. The optimized PENG was used to harvest energy from various body movements, demonstrating its potential for use in wearable electronics that run on sustainable energy.