Exploring the Potential of Flexible Piezoelectric Materials for Energy Harvesting Applications

Energy harvesting has become a rapidly expanding field of research driven by the growing demand for clean and renewable energy sources. Piezoelectric materials have shown great potential in harnessing energy from wasted mechanical energy. They possess the remarkable ability to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy which makes them highly suitable for energy harvesting applications. Consequently, they have emerged as attractive alternatives to traditional rechargeable batteries, particularly for powering low-energy devices like wearable technology and wireless communication systems. Despite this, harnessing the full potential of piezoelectric materials for energy harvesting requires certain challenges and obstacles to be addressed. Hence, this comprehensive study explores the capabilities of piezoelectric materials in energy harvesting applications and proposes novel approaches to enhance their performance. Specifically, the study examines currently available piezoelectric elements in the market, explores different self-powered energy harvesting circuits, and investigates the development of flexible piezoelectric cells, such as barium titanate (BaTiO3), to improve durability, conformability and energy harvesting properties. In addition, the study delves into advancements toward achieving high-efficiency energy generation.