High-performance polyaniline-coated electrospun P(VDF-TrFE)/BaTiO3 nanofiber-based flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator

The rapid progress and assimilation of the Internet of Things in modern lifestyles has sparked increased interest in self-powered electronics and wearable sensors. In this study, we present a simple, facile, and cost-effective approach to fabricate polyaniline (PANI)-coated poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE))/ barium titanate (BT) nanocomposite nanofiber mats. The addition of PANI-coated BT NPs into the nanofibers greatly enhances the piezoelectric coefficient (d33 approximate to 62 pC N-1), leading to an improved output voltage. Meanwhile, the conductive PANI also improves the electrically conductive network, resulting in enhanced current output. The proposed flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator yielded an excellent figure of merit (14.4 x 10-11 Pa -1), significantly enhancing energy-harvesting performance (an open-circuit output voltage of-68 V, a short-circuit current of-3 mu A, and a remarkable power density of 225 mW m-2). Furthermore, the fabricated flexible devices exhibited an average mechano-sensitivity of 1.2 V kPa- 1, showcasing its potential for widespread application in self-powered wearable sensors capable of capturing various human motions in applications such as gesture monitoring and finger motion detection.

Automated summary

This study presents a simple and cost-effective method to fabricate polyaniline-coated poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene)/ barium titanate nanocomposite nanofiber mats, which exhibit excellent piezoelectric and electrically conductive properties. The flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator shows a remarkable energy-harvesting performance and potential for widespread applications.