Improved magneto-mechano-electric response in electro-spun P(VDF-TrFE)-CNC@CoFe2O4 nanocomposites for non-contact energy harvester

Abstract

There is a growing demand for energy sources for the operation of electronic devices in places with restricted access to contact motion. Energy harvesters based on the magneto-mechano-electric (MME) effect can serve as novel energy sources in the non-contact mode. To increase the MME response of polymer-based MME composites, cellulose nanocrystal (CNC)@CoFe2O4 (CFO) nanohybrid (CN@CF) magnetic fillers and electro-spun P(VDF-TrFE)-CN@CF (P-CN@CF) composites were designed in this study. The CNC was used to increase the magnetic driving force of magnetic fillers via a one-step hydrothermal synthesis. To be specific, CN@CF has a maximum saturation magnetization of 70.49 ( ± 1.89) emu/g, which is 20.5% higher than that of pure CFO nanoparticles. The crystallographic analysis results and magnetic hysteresis loops indicate that the CNCs promote the growth of CFO nanoparticles. Thus, the magnetic particles have larger crystallite sizes, which directly affect the magnetic properties. Moreover, P-CN@CF, which was fabricated via in-situ poling electrospinning with a nanohybrid filler, has an average MME peak-to-peak voltage of 218.8 ( ± 26.1) mV, which is 73.1% higher than that of MME composites fabricated with pure CFO nanoparticles at a cyclic magnetic field of 1500 Oe. In summary, the introduction of CNCs into the magnetic phase positively affects the magnetic properties of the fillers and increases the output voltage of the MME composite as well.