Gold nanoparticles doped flexible PVDF-TrFE energy harvester

We have successfully developed flexible thin-film energy harvesters based on gold nanoparticles doped PVDF-TrFE (polyvinyledenedifluoride-trifluoroethylene) copolymer. The thin film characteristics can be well controlled by the manufacturing process involving the spin-coating and electrochemical deposition. We demonstrate that nanostructures in thin film piezoelectric materials increase the effective area for charge collection, leading towards enhanced power density and reversibility. Such flexible substrate with doped nanoparticles presents a new class of platform for high efficiency, low-cost energy and sensing applications.