Design of a β-Phase-Stabilized High-Performance Porous PVDF/BaSnO 3 -rGO Piezoelectric Nanogenerator Film and Its Integration into a Piezo-Driven Self-Charging Supercapacitor

Amid growing concerns about ecological sustainability, piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) are a popular alternative for harvesting clean energy from ambient mechanical movements. Nonetheless, the fundamental unpredictability of mechanical inputs limits their effective use in energizing devices that necessitate uninterrupted functionality. In response to this limitation, we present a piezoelectric-driven self-charging supercapacitor (PSCSC) that effectively harvests and stores electrical energy concurrently. A flexible porous poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanogenerator film was synthesized through the incorporation of 3 wt % BaSnO3-rGO nanoparticles that resulted in ∼95% β-phase stabilization of PVDF. The film demonstrates an enhanced piezoelectric performance, producing ∼52 V and 2.1 μA current when subjected to low-pressure stimulation (∼15.8 kPa). A PSCSC was fabricated utilizing BaSnO3-rGO coated nickel foam as electrodes, porous 3 wt % BaSnO3-rGO PVDF/BaSnO3-rGO film as a piezo-separator, and a PVA-KOH gel functioning as a solid electrolyte. The PSCSC demonstrates self-charging capabilities without the need for a rectifier, achieving ∼429 mV in just 180 s under dynamic finger imparting and can effectively power electronic devices like LEDs, calculators, and watches. A sustainable energy harvesting and storage strategy is presented in this work, paving the way for the use of autonomous power sources for portable devices.