A flexible electrostatic kinetic energy harvester based on electret films of electrospun nanofibers

Abstract This paper reports a paper-based electrostatic kinetic energy harvester (e-KEH) implementing multilayered electret films based on electrospun nanofibrous material. It is the first time that a fully flexible electret-based e-KEH is reported. The proposed electret, PVDF-PTFD nanofibrous covered by Parylene C, has a faster stabilization of surface potential than a planar thin film of Parylene C, and a higher stability of charge storage. With a maximum force of 0.5 N and a 3-layer electret, the device capacitance increases from 25 to 100 pF during a pressing operation. Working with the optimal resistive load of 16 MΩ, the device pressed manually delivers a peak instantaneous power up to 45.6 μ W and an average energy of 54 nJ/stroke, corresponding to a peak instantaneous power density of 7.3 μ W cm ⁻² and an average energy density of 8.6 nJ cm ⁻² /stroke. Within 450 manual strokes, a 10 nF capacitor is charged up to 8.5 V by the prototype through a full-wave diode bridge. On a 1 μ F capacitor, the energy delivery of 9.9 nJ/stroke has been obtained with a 10 Hz pressing movement excited by a vibrator with a maximum force of 0.5 N.