Vertically Aligned Piezoelectric Perovskite Nanowire Array on Flexible Conducting Substrate for Energy Harvesting Applications

Abstract Energy conversion based on vertically aligned piezoelectric nanowire (NW) arrays is of great interest because of their unusual properties originating from large surface area/high aspect ratio and excellent piezoelectric properties. Here, perovskite‐structured piezoelectric BaTiO₃ NW arrays are vertically grown onto the flexible Ti substrates by a two‐step hydrothermal reaction to realize an aligned 1D nanostructures‐based flexible energy harvester. The BaTiO₃ NW array‐based flexible piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) successfully converts a maximum open‐circuit voltage of ≈15 V, a maximum short‐circuit current of ≈400 nA, and an effective power of ≈0.27 µW during repeated bending deformations. Under pressing with an external force of 49.57 N, the harvested output signals of the vertically aligned NW arrays‐based PEH are ≈20 V and ≈60 nA. Finite element analysis with multiphysics simulation supports the hypothesis of effective potential generation by the NW arrays‐based flexible PEH. These results can aid in the further development of high‐output 1D nanostructures‐based flexible PEHs.