Energy-harvesting and mass sensor performances of magnetostrictive cobalt ferrite-spattered Fe–Co alloy plate

We recently reported that combining positive and negative magnetostrictive plates [iron-cobalt (Fe–Co) alloy and nickel (Ni) (i.e. Fe–Co/Ni) clad plates] yields remarkable energy-harvesting and mass sensor performances. Therefore, in this study, cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4), which has higher negative magnetostrictive properties than Ni, was spattered onto a Fe–Co alloy plate. The CoFe2O4-spattered Fe–Co alloy plate provided higher energy-harvesting and mass sensor performances than the Fe–Co/Ni clad plate. Moreover, the CoFe2O4-spattered Fe–Co alloy plate successfully transmitted the electrical signal to the receiver, and the output voltage of the CoFe2O4-spattered Fe–Co alloy plate was significantly changed by the adhesion of microgram silica particles. The CoFe2O4-spattered Fe–Co alloy plate has a considerable value as a self-powered mass sensor, which may be significant for the development of battery-free virus sensors. •The CoFe2O4-spattered Fe–Co alloy plate provided high energy-harvesting and mass sensor performances.•The CoFe2O4-spattered Fe–Co alloy plate successfully transmitted the electrical signal to the receiver.•The output voltage of the CoFe2O4-spattered Fe–Co alloy plate was changed by the adhesion of silica particles.