Ferroelectret materials and devices for energy harvesting applications

This paper provides an overview of ferroelectret materials for energy harvesting applications. These materials take the form of a cellular compliant polymer with polarised pores that provide a piezoelectric response to generate electrical energy as a result of an applied strain or surrounding vibration. The manufacturing processes used to create ferroelectret polymer structures for energy harvesting are discussed, along with the range of microstructural features and pore sizes that are formed. Their important mechanical, electrical and harvesting performance are then described and compared. Modelling approaches for microstructural design or for predicting the vibrational and frequency dependent response are examined. Finally, conclusions and future perspectives for ferroelectret materials for energy harvesting applications are provided.