High performance of polycrystalline piezoelectric ceramic-based magneto-mechano-electric energy generators

The cantilever-structured magneto-mechano-electric (MME) energy generator with smaller volume exhibits excellent magnetic energy conversion performance than electro-magnetic current induction type energy harvesters. An anisotropic single crystal is an ideal piezoelectric constituent of a high-performance MME generator owing to its superior electromechanical properties and high electromechanical energy conversion efficiency. However, the complicated synthesis and high cost of piezoelectric single crystals limit the wide deployment of the MME generator. Alternatively, the implementation of the polycrystalline ceramic piezoelectric can largely reduce the device fabrication cost. In this work, the PMN-PZT single crystal fiber composites (SFC) were replaced by high-performance polycrystalline ceramic (MnO2-doped 25PMN-PZT) fiber composites (PCFC) for MME generator. The magnetoelectric response and harvested electrical power of SFC- and PCFC-based MME generators were measured. Interestingly, the electrical output power of the PCFC-based MME generator at 10 Oe magnetic field tuned at 60 Hz was found to be similar to 90% of that of its SFC-based counterpart, in addition to the superior thermal stability. The presented MME energy generator has excellent potential for applications as low cost and efficient power source for wireless sensor networks deployable to the internet of things (IoTs), low power consumption electronic devices, etc., by harvesting the stray magnetic energy.