Enhancing output and durability of polymer-based piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters using mechanical metamaterials
Maintenance-free wearable energy harvesters are attracting attention as an energy source for sensors within the internet of things (IoT) landscape. The effectiveness of vibration energy harvesting uses resonance; therefore, achieving frequency matching with the vibration source is essential. However...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Mechanical Engineering Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/mej/12/4/12_25-00100/_pdf/-char/en |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850244907050991616 |
|---|---|
| author | Shunta HASEGAWA Kota MORISHITA Yuya TANAKA Gen HASHIGUCHI Hiroshi TOSHIYOSHI Takaaki SUZUKI |
| author_facet | Shunta HASEGAWA Kota MORISHITA Yuya TANAKA Gen HASHIGUCHI Hiroshi TOSHIYOSHI Takaaki SUZUKI |
| author_sort | Shunta HASEGAWA |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Maintenance-free wearable energy harvesters are attracting attention as an energy source for sensors within the internet of things (IoT) landscape. The effectiveness of vibration energy harvesting uses resonance; therefore, achieving frequency matching with the vibration source is essential. However, the target vibrations in wearable environments are concentrated in the low-frequency band, making it challenging to achieve device miniaturization and frequency matching. Our previous work proposed polymer-based piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters (PVEHs) incorporating mechanical metamaterials (MMs). This allowed us to achieve low resonance alongside high output power in compact devices. However, concerns regarding decreased yield during the deposition process of the thin-film piezoelectric layer and potential compromises in the microstructure strength have been identified. In response to these challenges, this study focuses on redesigning PVEHs to improve the yield and structural integrity. Using finite element method (FEM) analysis, we examined the effects of the PVEH structure and thickness of the elastic layer on performance, leading to a design of PVEHs that optimize both output power and sufficient strength. The proposed PVEHs were fabricated through photolithography, and their performance was evaluated by vibration experiments. When subjected to a sine wave excitation of 0.2 G, equivalent to walking vibration, the proposed PVEH had a resonance frequency of 25.0 Hz and RMS output power of 11.5 µW. Compared to the conventional solid-type PVEH, this corresponds to an approximately 31% lower resonance frequency and 1.3 times higher output power. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a3a18aed88d449198700d7c2fc1d722e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2187-9745 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Mechanical Engineering Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-a3a18aed88d449198700d7c2fc1d722e2025-08-20T01:59:35ZengThe Japan Society of Mechanical EngineersMechanical Engineering Journal2187-97452025-07-0112425-0010025-0010010.1299/mej.25-00100mejEnhancing output and durability of polymer-based piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters using mechanical metamaterialsShunta HASEGAWA0Kota MORISHITA1Yuya TANAKA2Gen HASHIGUCHI3Hiroshi TOSHIYOSHI4Takaaki SUZUKI5Gunma UniversityGunma UniversityGunma UniversityShizuoka UniversityThe University of TokyoGunma UniversityMaintenance-free wearable energy harvesters are attracting attention as an energy source for sensors within the internet of things (IoT) landscape. The effectiveness of vibration energy harvesting uses resonance; therefore, achieving frequency matching with the vibration source is essential. However, the target vibrations in wearable environments are concentrated in the low-frequency band, making it challenging to achieve device miniaturization and frequency matching. Our previous work proposed polymer-based piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters (PVEHs) incorporating mechanical metamaterials (MMs). This allowed us to achieve low resonance alongside high output power in compact devices. However, concerns regarding decreased yield during the deposition process of the thin-film piezoelectric layer and potential compromises in the microstructure strength have been identified. In response to these challenges, this study focuses on redesigning PVEHs to improve the yield and structural integrity. Using finite element method (FEM) analysis, we examined the effects of the PVEH structure and thickness of the elastic layer on performance, leading to a design of PVEHs that optimize both output power and sufficient strength. The proposed PVEHs were fabricated through photolithography, and their performance was evaluated by vibration experiments. When subjected to a sine wave excitation of 0.2 G, equivalent to walking vibration, the proposed PVEH had a resonance frequency of 25.0 Hz and RMS output power of 11.5 µW. Compared to the conventional solid-type PVEH, this corresponds to an approximately 31% lower resonance frequency and 1.3 times higher output power.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/mej/12/4/12_25-00100/_pdf/-char/enpiezoelectricvibration energy harvester (veh)mechanical metamaterialpolymermicro electro mechanical systems (mems)finite element method (fem)internet of things (iot) |
| spellingShingle | Shunta HASEGAWA Kota MORISHITA Yuya TANAKA Gen HASHIGUCHI Hiroshi TOSHIYOSHI Takaaki SUZUKI Enhancing output and durability of polymer-based piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters using mechanical metamaterials Mechanical Engineering Journal piezoelectric vibration energy harvester (veh) mechanical metamaterial polymer micro electro mechanical systems (mems) finite element method (fem) internet of things (iot) |
| title | Enhancing output and durability of polymer-based piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters using mechanical metamaterials |
| title_full | Enhancing output and durability of polymer-based piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters using mechanical metamaterials |
| title_fullStr | Enhancing output and durability of polymer-based piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters using mechanical metamaterials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancing output and durability of polymer-based piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters using mechanical metamaterials |
| title_short | Enhancing output and durability of polymer-based piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters using mechanical metamaterials |
| title_sort | enhancing output and durability of polymer based piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters using mechanical metamaterials |
| topic | piezoelectric vibration energy harvester (veh) mechanical metamaterial polymer micro electro mechanical systems (mems) finite element method (fem) internet of things (iot) |
| url | https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/mej/12/4/12_25-00100/_pdf/-char/en |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shuntahasegawa enhancingoutputanddurabilityofpolymerbasedpiezoelectricvibrationenergyharvestersusingmechanicalmetamaterials AT kotamorishita enhancingoutputanddurabilityofpolymerbasedpiezoelectricvibrationenergyharvestersusingmechanicalmetamaterials AT yuyatanaka enhancingoutputanddurabilityofpolymerbasedpiezoelectricvibrationenergyharvestersusingmechanicalmetamaterials AT genhashiguchi enhancingoutputanddurabilityofpolymerbasedpiezoelectricvibrationenergyharvestersusingmechanicalmetamaterials AT hiroshitoshiyoshi enhancingoutputanddurabilityofpolymerbasedpiezoelectricvibrationenergyharvestersusingmechanicalmetamaterials AT takaakisuzuki enhancingoutputanddurabilityofpolymerbasedpiezoelectricvibrationenergyharvestersusingmechanicalmetamaterials |