Flexible Self-Powered Friction Piezoelectric Sensor Based on Structured PVDF-Based Composite Nanofiber Membranes

Withthe rapid development of the economy and technology, intelligentwearable devices have gradually entered public life. Flexible sensors,as the main component of wearable devices, have been widely concerned.However, traditional flexible sensors need an external power supply,lacking flexibility and sustainable power supply. In this study, structuredpoly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based composite nanofiber membranesdoped with different mass fractions of MXene and zinc oxide (ZnO)were prepared by electrospinning and were then assembled to flexibleself-powered friction piezoelectric sensors. The addition of MXeneand ZnO endowed PVDF nanofiber membranes with better piezoelectricproperties. The structured PVDF/MXene-PVDF/ZnO (PM/PZ) nanofiber membraneswith a double-layer structure, interpenetrating structure, or core-shellstructure could further enhance the piezoelectric properties of PVDF-basednanofiber membranes through the synergistic effects of filler dopingand structural design. In particular, the output voltage of the self-poweredfriction piezoelectric sensor made of a core-shell PM/PZ nanofibermembrane showed a good linear relationship with the applied pressureand could produce a good piezoelectric response to the bending deformationcaused by human motion.

Automated summary

With the rapid development of the economy and technology, intelligent wearable devices have become part of public life. The main component of these devices, flexible sensors, have attracted widespread attention. However, traditional flexible sensors face challenges such as the need for external power supply, lack of flexibility, and sustainable power supply. In this study, structured PVDF-based composite nanofiber membranes doped with MXene and zinc oxide (ZnO) were prepared and assembled into flexible self-powered friction piezoelectric sensors. The addition of MXene and ZnO improved the piezoelectric properties of the PVDF nanofiber membranes. The structured membranes, such as double-layer, interpenetrating, or core-shell structures, further enhanced the piezoelectric properties through filler doping and structural design. Specifically, the core-shell PM/PZ nanofiber membrane-based self-powered friction piezoelectric sensor showed a linear relationship between output voltage and applied pressure, and demonstrated good piezoelectric response to bending deformation caused by human motion.