A flexible hybrid strain energy harvester using piezoelectric and electrostatic conversion

A new design of flexible energy harvester to utilize piezoelectric and electrostatic energy conversion mechanisms simultaneously from a single mechanical energy source is proposed. This non-resonant type harvester enables low-frequency mechanical inputs to be converted to electricity, and the polymeric structures make the harvester mechanically flexible, allowing it to be applied to non-planar surfaces. The fabricated harvester generated peak- and average power densities of 159 and 1.79 μW cm−2 respectively by piezoelectric conversion, and 52.9 μW cm−2 and 1.59 nW cm−2 respectively by electrostatic conversion from an input force of 1.2 N at 3 Hz. Considering its flexibility and ability to harvest mechanical inputs at frequencies below 3 Hz, low-frequency human movements could be a potential energy source for the proposed hybrid harvester to exploit.