Abstract

While piezoelectric nanogenerators have demonstrated the effective conversion of tiny mechanical vibrations to electricity, their performances are rarely examined under harsh environmental conditions. Here, amultilayered polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film-based piezoelectric nanogenerator (ML-PENG) is demonstrated to generate considerable and stable power outputs even at extremely low temperatures and pressures, and under strong UV. Up-/down-polarized PVDF films are alternately stacked, and Ag electrodes are intercalated between the two adjacent films. At -266°C and 10-5 Torr, the ML-PENG generates an open-circuit voltage of 1.1V, a short-circuit current density of 8nAcm-2 , and a power density of 4.4nWcm-2 . The piezoelectric outputs are quite stable against prolonged illumination of UV, large temperature- and pressure-variations, and excessive mechanical vibrations. The piezoelectric power density is greatly enhanced above the freezing and glass transition temperatures of PVDF and recorded to be 10, 105, and 282nWcm-2 at -73, 0, and 77°C, respectively. The ML-PENG generates sufficient power to operate five light-emitting diodes by harvesting biomechanical energy under simulated Martian conditions. This work suggests that polarization- and electrode-optimized ML-PENG can serve as a reliable and economic power source in harsh and inaccessible environments like polar areas of Earth and extraterrestrial Mars.

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