Analysis of Various Piezoelectric Materials for Energy Harvesting Device with Frequency Up-Conversion Technique

Abstract

'Direct piezoelectric effect' is a phenomenon where electric charges are generated by piezoelectric materials when mechanical forces are applied to it. The electric charges thus formed are either collected or harvested for use. Piezoelectric transducers are devices that are found in a wide range of shapes and materials, thereby making them suited for a broad spectrum of applications. In the proposed work, we have used an Energy Harvesting (PEH) device based on the technique of frequency up-conversion. It consists of two sub-design straight piezoelectric cantilevers (SPC) and an S-shaped stainless-steel cantilever (SSC). Frequency up-conversion mechanism is used between SSC and SPC to operate the device at low vibration levels. Initially, the device is validated with earlier reported material and dimension using IntelliSuite MEMS CAD Tools Software. After validation, the stress analysis were performed on various piezoelectric materials and observed the various parameters like generated potential, operating frequency. In proposed study, it was observed that for high-frequency applications, Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) is the best material while for high power applications PZT is the suitable material.