Effects of patterned electrode on near infrared light-triggered cesium tungsten bronze/poly(vinylidene)fluoride nanocomposite-based pyroelectric nanogenerator for energy harvesting

Pyroelectric nanogenerators (PyNG) are crucial to convert waste heat into electrical energy. In this study, we develop PyNG device with screen-printed serpentine electrode (SRE) and we modify with cesium tungsten bronze (Cs0.33WO3). We incorporate Cs0.33WO3 into both the electrode and poly(vinylidene)fluoride (PVDF) layers. We investigate effects of Cs0.33WO3 on pyroelectric response and photothermal conversion and electrode pattern effects on the pyroelectric properties. The electrode pattern remarkably improves pyroelectric response in which SRE pattern with width of 2 mm (Sample 2 (S2)) presents the highest electrical current and power. Moreover, the PVDF/Cs0.33WO3 PyNG device possesses outstanding photothermal conversion and pyroelectric response in comparison to PVDF-based PyNG device. Particularly, temperature of the device with 7 wt% Cs0.33WO3 reaches 121 °C and it shows electrical output responses of 4.36 V and 214 nA. It also generates a power density of 23.28 μW/m2 at a loading resistance of 20 MΩ. The electrical energy PyNG device generate power liquid crystal display (LCD) and four light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Our PyNG device presents better pyroelectric properties than that of PyNG device in open literature. This study represents an alternative to design and develop PyNG devices to harvest solar energy.