Highly Efficient Hybrid Energy Generator: Coupled Organic Photovoltaic Device and Randomly Oriented Electrospun Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Nanofiber

Abstract

A hybrid architecture consisting of an inverted organic photovoltaic device and a randomly-oriented electrospun PVDF piezoelectric device was fabricated as a highly-efficient energy generator. It uses the inverted photovoltaic device with coupled electrospun PVDF nanofibers as tandem structure to convert solar and mechanical vibrations energy to electricity simultaneously or individually. The power conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic device was also significantly improved up to 4.72% by optimized processes such as intrinsic ZnO, MoO3 and active layer. A simple electrospinning method with the two electrode technique was adopted to achieve a high voltage of - 300 mV in PVDF piezoelectric fibers. Highly-efficient HEG using voltage adder circuit provides the conceptual possibility of realizing multi-functional energy generator whenever and wherever various energy sources are available.

Effects of Substrate on Piezoelectricity of Electrospun Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-Nanofiber-Based Energy Generators

“…Longitudinal sound waves (i.e., compression waves) transmitted through ambient air are composed of waves whose alternating pressure deviates from the equilibrium pressure, causing local regions of compression and rarefaction. 38 Flexible substrates vibrate mechanically when struck by sound waves. Transferring vibrations directly to randomly aligned PVDF fibers causes them to vibrate in turn.…”

“…Sound is a regular mechanical vibration that travels as a waveform through matter. Longitudinal sound waves (i.e., compression waves) transmitted through ambient air are composed of waves whose alternating pressure deviates from the equilibrium pressure, causing local regions of compression and rarefaction . Flexible substrates vibrate mechanically when struck by sound waves.…”

“…(a) Profiles of overall voltage cycling output, (b) maximum voltage output for each substrate, (c) relationship between Young’s modulus and maximum output voltage, (d) output-voltage-cycling profiles for PET (100 μm) and PEN (105 μm) films, and (e) relationship between substrate thickness and maximum output voltage. Substrate Young’s moduli from a Paul et al, b Karger-Kocsis et al, c Sidler et al, and d Yokoyama et al are provided as reference values.…”