Enhancement of the Multiferroic Properties of Flexible PVDF-TrFE/MnCoFe₂O₄ Based Piezoelectric Nanogenerator for Energy Harvesting

The growing demand for micro energy to power sensors, miniature electronics, and other microelectronic devices has drawn a lot of attention to flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENG). The main issues being addressed at the moment are choosing the right materials and using straightforward production methods to provide better electrical performance in addition to good mechanical qualities and flexibility. Herein, we explored the role ferromagnetic manganese cobalt ferrite (MCF) in improving the energy harvesting potentiality of poly (vinylidene fluoride-Trifluoro ethylene P(VDF-TrFE) matrix. Six different piezoelectric composite films composed of (PVDF-TrFE) and various ferromagnetic manganese cobalt ferrite (Mn_0.5Co_0.5Fe₂O₄) content of (0,1,3,5,7, and 10%) were prepared via Dr. Blade cast heating coater technique accompanied by electric field poling. To investigate the optimum effect of the MCF nanoparticle content on the relative fraction of the electroactive β-phase and the crystallinity, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were elucidated. Meanwhile, the relative fraction of the β-phase and crystallinity degree for 5% nanocomposite film are 89% and 48%, respectively. Finally, addition of MCF into the PVDF-TrFE matrix influences the piezoelectric properties drastically. Among the fabricated piezoelectric nanogenerators, the nanocomposite film with 5% MCF content reveals the maximum open circuit voltage of 30 V and the maximum current of 6.5 mA in the order of 2 compared to the neat polymer film. It was observed that our fabricated flexible piezoelectric nano-generator is a potential candidate for powering futuristic microelectronic devices.