Energy Harvesting Through a Low-Cost Device Using Reverse Electrowetting on Dielectric (REWOD)

Abstract

AbstractEnergy harvesting through reverse electrowetting on dielectric is a novel approach that allows the utilization of freely available low-frequency vibration energy such as machine vibrations, vehicle vibrations, and passive human walking as the source of input energy. Energy harvesting through reverse electrowetting on dielectric was demonstrated by using a simple and cost-effective technique, i.e., spin coating instead of complex and expensive approaches like atomic layer deposition, sputtering, and thermally grown films to fabricate the reverse electrowetting on dielectric device. To fabricate the optimum reverse electrowetting on dielectric device, zinc oxide nanoarrays coated with Teflon were used as a dielectric layer. Thin-film of Teflon was spin-coated on zinc oxide nanoarrays to obtain a dense film that exhibits low contact angle hysteresis, good performance under the condition of low bias voltage, and low actuation frequency. Maximum power density and energy density per cycle were obtained as 3.87 mW/cm2 and 204 µJ/cm2, respectively, at 12 V. A substantial increase in the figure of merit for zinc oxide nanowires coated with Teflon was achieved in this work which evident that it is suitable of energy harvesting through reverse electrowetting on dielectric.KeywordsEnergy harvestingCost-effectiveSputteringSpin coatingFigure of merit