Poly(vinylidene fluoride) based Hybrid for Energy Harvesting Applications

Abstract

Energy harvesting is a method to harness or acquire the useful and productive energy from the unused or waste sources. The utilization of the unused energy from the ambient sources can be done using several approaches. In this thesis, piezoelectric-based process is used to harness the waste mechanical energy from the different human motion or other relevant sources whose energy goes unused or wasted. Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-based hybrids has been prepared using different electroactive fillers which is used to generate energy from different sources and some applications are also performed which can be useful for small electronic devices. The electro spinning process used for preparing the scaffolds generates piezoelectric phase due to the in-situ mechanical stretching and poling occurring simultaneously. The scaffold is further fabricated to a device which is used for the piezoelectric based energy harvesting. Incorporation of different electro active fillers are done to understand the role of the fillers in the enhancement of the polar phase which substantially improves the applicability of the material. The primary objective of the thesis is to develop PVDF-based hybrids from different electro active fillers which are used to develop flexible, durable, efficient and scalable nano generator which can harness the waste energy to productive output. The detailed procedure, experimental, characterizations and applications are discussed in the thesis. The thesis consists of seven chapters. The first chapter highlights the brief introduction about the energy harvesting, materials and mechanism of the phenomenon with literature survey of some previous works. The second chapter discusses the materials and experimental methods used in preparing the samples with the brief discussion about the xviii characterization techniques used to study the prepared samples. Third chapter demonstrates the effect of induced piezoelectric effect in PVDF-based hybrids. Tomato peel and cotton is taken as reinforce with the PVDF matrix and role of induction of polar phase in energy harvesting applications is discussed. Fourth chapter discusses the effect of nanoclay on the PVDF fibre leading to efficient energy harvesting measured through fabricated device. Fifth chapter explores the role of Ionic liquids on enhancement of the piezoelectric active phase which results in better piezoelectric properties. In this chapter piezoelectric energy harvesting and electrochemical based measurement is studied. Sixth chapter demonstrates the effect of fictionalization of carbon nanofibers on the PVDF based nanofibers for effective energy harvesting. The chapter explores theoretical / computational approach with experimental work to understand the role of fillers on the energy harvesting application. Chapter seven includes the summary of the thesis with some future insight in the field of energy harvesting.