Contactless Electrostatic Vibration Energy Harvesting Using Electric Double Layer Electrets

Abstract

In this paper, we present demonstration results for a contactless electrostatic vibration energy harvester (E-VEH) using electric double layer electrets (EDLEs).We, for the first time, utilize the surface potential of EDLEs to generate electrostatic induction currents for contactless VEH devices.A proof-of-concept in-plane EDLE E-VEH is designed and developed using precision machining technology.An array of EDLEs is developed and the surface potential is measured under atmospheric conditions and found to be -1 V on average.The proposed contactless energy harvesting method using the electrostatic induction of EDLEs is successfully demonstrated by performing vibration experiments under atmospheric conditions.We confirm a typical output current of about 2 pA (peak-to-peak) with a load resistance of 1 MΩ at an input acceleration of 1 G with a frequency of 155 Hz.The proposed vibration energy harvesting mechanism is expected to expand the range of environments in which E-VEHs are used with EDLEs.