Strain effects on an electrostrictive polymer composite for power harvesting: experiments and modeling

• Published in: Polymers for advanced technologies Vol. 27; no. 5; pp. 677 - 684
• Main Authors: Eddiai, A., Meddad, M., Mazroui, M., Boughaleb, Y., Idiri, M., Khanfer, R., Rguiti, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bognor Regis Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Chemical Sciences; Conversion; efficiency; Electrostriction; electrostrictive polymers; Energy harvesting; Engineering Sciences; FFT analyses; Flexibility; Fourier transforms; Mathematical models; Optimization; Strain; strain; efficiency; electrostrictive polymers; FFT analyses
• ISSN: 1042-7147; 1099-1581
• DOI: 10.1002/pat.3738

In the field of vibrational energy harvesting, the electromechanical conversion demonstrated the many advantages of using electrostrictive polymers. These materials present advantageous features such as high productivity and high flexibility. The aim of this work is to provide a solution for artificially increasing the current flowing through the sample when simultaneously driven by an electrical field and a mechanical excitation in order to determine the optimal range of deformation for a good efficiency of the electromechanical conversion. Thus, by using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis, our experimental results, shown clearly that under certain conditions of strain S (S⟩4 %), the efficiency of energy harvesting becomes significant, indicating that the mechanical parameter S was a crucial parameter for a better efficiency of electromechanical conversion. Furthermore, a good agreement between theoretical and experimental results was found. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.