Influence of manganese addition in ZnO-based piezoelectric nanogenerator for mechanical energy harvesting

In this work, a simple hydrothermal technique has been used to grow the manganese (Mn)-doped ZnO nanostructure on the flexible indium tin oxide substrate. The Mn doping concentrations (1%, 2.5%, and 5%) have been systematically optimized with respect to piezoelectric output. The output performance of the piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG) device with 2.5% Mn-doped ZnO achieved 3.3 times higher than the pure PENG device. Peak-to-peak open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of the Mn-doped PENG device is 5.32 V and 52.33 nA, respectively. The PENG device with a 2.5% Mn doping exhibits a maximum power density of 60.01 nW/cm 2 at a 110-MΩ load resistance. The device’s durability has also been tested, and it showed good stability without deterioration. Finally, utilizing a commercial compressor, the system has proven to capture vibrational energy.