A piezoelectric Macro fiber composite (MFC) materials developed in the last decade found widespread applications such as vibration sensing, actuation and structural health monitoring. Unlike conventional ceramic piezoelectric materials (PZT), these composites show many advantages such as flexibility, reliability and high actuation capacity. However, increasing their energy harvesting capabilities still remains a challenge. Modeling and simulation of electrical energy harvesters using MFC patches provide a mean for geometrical optimization and appropriate choice of the MFC composite. This paper proposes a linear analytical model for prediction of the electro-mechanical response of bimorph harvesters using MFC patches. Homogenization technique is used to describe the equivalent piezoelectric properties of the composite structure of the MFC patch. This paper investigates the effect of the volume fraction of the fibers and the material choice of the piezoelectric fibers and epoxy matrix on the generated electrical power. It has been found that an increased fiber volume fraction causes a decrease of the voltage, the power and the velocity amplitudes for a range of load resistance. However, an increase in the fiber volume fraction FVF is achieved by an increase of the current amplitude for a range of load resistance. Maximum amount of power is generated by the bimorph MFC harvester for an FVF of 86% which corresponds to the reference configuration. The piezoelectric fiber material has a significant influence on the output power. In fact, the SONOX-P502 generated the greatest electrical power. However, the material of the matrix has a negligible effect on the generated power.
SodanoHAParkGInmanDJ. An investigation into the performance of macro-fiber composites for sensing and structural vibration applications. Mech Syst Signal Process2004; 18: 683–697.
2.
WilliamsRBParkGInmanDJ, et al.An overview of composite actuators with piezoceramic fibers. In: Proceeding of IMAC XX, Los Angeles, CA, 2002, pp. 421–425.
3.
BentAAHagoodNW. Piezoelectric fiber composites with interdigitated electrodes. J Intell Mater Syst Struct1997; 8: 903–919.
4.
WilkieWKBryantRGHighJW, et al.Low-cost piezocomposite actuator for structural control applications. In: Proceedings, SPIE’s 7th SPIE International Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials (Jack H. Jacobs). California, 2000, pp. 323–334.
5.
HagoodNWChungWHVon FlotowA. Modelling of piezoelectric actuator dynamics for active structural control. J Intell Mater Syst Struct1990; 1: 327–354.
6.
HagoodNWVon FlotowA. Damping of structural vibrations with piezoelectric materials and passive electrical networks. J Sound Vib1991; 146: 243–268.
7.
LeoDJ. Engineering analysis of Smart material systems. Hoboken, New Jersey and Canada: John Wiley & Sons, 2007, p. 160.
8.
SmitsJGChoiWS. The constituent equations of piezoelectric heterogeneous bimorphs. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control1991; 38: 256–270.
9.
ErturkA. Assumed-modes modeling of piezoelectric energy harvesters: Euler-Bernoulli, Rayleigh, and Timoshenko models with axial deformations. Comput Struct2012; 106–107: 214–227.
10.
ErturkAInmanDJ. Piezoelectric energy harvesting. 1st ed.Chichester, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2011, pp. 19–96.
11.
AbrarAZhangDSuB, et al.1-3 connectivity piezoelectric ceramic-polymer composite transducers made with viscous polymer processing for high frequency ultrasound. Ultrasonics2004; 42: 479–484.
12.
ShermanCHButlerJL. Transducers and arrays for underwater sound. J Acoust Soc Am2007; 124: 1385–1386.
13.
KnightRRMoCClarkWW. Development and testing of a MEMS piezoelectric energy harvester. In: Active and passive smart structures and integrated systems in Proc. of SPIE Vol. 7288 (Mehdi Ahmadian, Mehrdad N. Ghasemi-Nejhad San Diego), California, 2009, p. 72880A–1–72880A–9.
14.
DeraemaekerABenelechiSBenjeddouA, et al.Analytical and numerical computation of homogenized properties of MFCS: application to a composite boom with MFC actuators and sensors. In: Proceedings of the III ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Smart Structures and Materials. Gdansk, Poland, July 9–11, 2007, 2007.
15.
DeraemaekerANasserH. Numerical evaluation of the equivalent properties of Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) transducers using periodic homogenization. Int J Sol Struct2010; 47: 3272–3285.
16.
DeraemaekerANasserHBenjeddouA, et al.Mixing rules for the piezoelectric properties of macro fiber composites. J Intell Mater Syst Struct2009; 20: 1475–1482.
17.
BiscaniFNasserHBelouettarS, et al.Equivalent electro-elastic properties of Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) transducers using asymptotic expansion approach. Compos B Eng2011; 42: 444–455.
18.
RajaSIkedaT. Concept and electro-elastic modeling of shear actuated fiber composite using micro-mechanics approach. J Intell Mater Syst Struct2008; 19: 1173–1183.
19.
HarneRLWangKW. A review of the recent research on vibration energy harvesting via bistable systems. Smart Mater Struct2013; 22: 1–12.
20.
WilliamsRBInmanDJSchultzMR, et al.Nonlinear tensile and shear behavior of macro fiber composite actuators. J Compos Mater2004; 38: 855–869.
21.
LloydJM. Electrical properties of macro-fiber composite actuators and sensors. Phd Thesis, State University, 2004.
22.
BilgenO. Aerodynamic and electromechanical design, modeling and implementation of piezocomposite airfoils. Phd Thesis. State University, 2010.
23.
BilgenOErturkAInmanDJ. Analytical and experimental characterization of macro-fiber composite actuated thin clamped-free unimorph benders. J Vib Acoust Trans ASME2010; 132: 05100510510056.
24.
SodanoHALloydJInmanDJ. An experimental comparison between several active composite actuators for power generation. Smart Mater Struct2006; 15: 1211–1216.
25.
OteroJARodríguez-RamosRMonsivaisG, et al.Dynamical behavior of a layered piezocomposite using the asymptotic homogenization method. Mech Mater2005; 37: 33–44.
26.
BergerHKariSGabbertU, et al.An analytical and numerical approach for calculating effective material coefficients of piezoelectric fiber composites. Int J Sol Struct2005; 42: 5692–5714.
27.
TangLYangYLiH. Optimizing efficiency of energy harvesting by macro-fiber composites. In: Smart Structures, Devices, and Systems IV, Proc of SPIE (Said Fares Al-Sarawi, Vijay K. Varadan, Neil Weste, Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh), 2008, pp. 726808-1–726808–9.
28.
WilliamsRBGrimsleyBWInmanDJ, et al.Manufacturing and mechanics-based characterization of macro fiber composite actuators. In: ASME Internation Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition Proceeding, New Orleans, Louisiana, 17–22 Novembre 2002, pp. 79–89.
29.
ShahabSErturkA. Coupling of experimentally validated electroelastic dynamics and mixing rules formulation for macro-fiber composite piezoelectric structures. J Intell Mater Syst Struct2016; 28: 1–14.
30.
SodanoHAInmanDJParkG. Comparison of piezoelectric energy harvesting devices for recharging batteries. J Intell Mater Syst Struct2005; 16: 799–807.
31.
MuñozCQGAlcaldeGZMárquezFPG. Analysis and comparison of macro fiber composites and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) discs for an energy harvesting floor. Appl Sci2020; 10: 1–12.
32.
PandeyAArockiarajanA. Actuation performance of macro-fiber composite (MFC): Modeling and experimental studies. Sensors Actuators, A Phys2016; 248: 1–56.
33.
KimCShinJW. Topology optimization of piezoelectric materials and application to the cantilever beams for vibration energy harvesting. Int J Precis Eng Manuf2013; 14: 1925–1931.
34.
AlouiRLarbiWChouchaneM. Uncertainty quantification and global sensitivity analysis of piezoelectric energy harvesting using macro fiber composites. Smart Mater Struct2020; 29: 1–36.
35.
SchultzMRHyerMW. A morphing concept based on unsymmetric composite laminates and piezoceramic MFC actuators. In: AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference. CA: Palm Springs, 2004, pp. 3192–3204.
36.
ErturkABilgenOFontenilleM, et al.Piezoelectric energy harvesting from macro-fiber composites with an application to morphing-wing aircrafts. In: 19th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies, Ascona, Switzerland, 6–9 October 2008, 2008.
37.
ShanXSongRLiuB, et al.Novel energy harvesting: A macro fiber composite piezoelectric energy harvester in the water vortex. Ceram Int. Epub ahead of print 2015. DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2015.03.219.
38.
JiaYWeiXXuL, et al.Multiphysics vibration FE model of piezoelectric macro fibre composite on carbon fibre composite structures. Compos B2019; 161: 376–385.
39.
SytaABowenCRKimHA, et al.Experimental analysis of the dynamical response of energy harvesting devices based on bistable laminated plates. Meccanica2015; 50: 1961–1970.
40.
SzarkaGDStarkBHBurrowSG. Review of power conditioning for kinetic energy harvesting systems. IEEE Trans Power Electron2012; 27: 803–815.
41.
SaravananMPMarimuthuKJayabalK. Characteristic investigation of macro fiber composite structure using FE model. Arch Metall Mater2021; 66: 1059–1066.
42.
LeeHJZhangSBar-CohenY, et al.High temperature, high power piezoelectric composite transducers. Sensors (Switzerland)2014; 14: 14526–14552.
ErturkAInmanDJ. A distributed parameter electromechanical model for cantilevered piezoelectric energy harvesters. J Vib Acoust2008; 130: 1–15.
45.
ErturkAInmanDJ. An experimentally validated bimorph cantilever model for piezoelectric energy harvesting from base excitations. Smart Mater Struct2009; 18: 1–18.
46.
De Marqui JuniorCErturkAInmanDJ. An electromechanical finite element model for piezoelectric energy harvester plates. J Sound Vib2009; 327: 9–25.
AgarwalDBBroutmanLChandrashekharaK. Analysis and performance of fiber composites. 3rd ed.. New Delhi, India: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2006.
51.
CaliòRRongalaUBCamboniD, et al.Piezoelectric energy harvesting solutions. Sensors2014; 14: 4755–4790.
52.
ZhaoHHouYYuX, et al.A wide temperature insensitive piezoceramics for high-temperature energy harvesting. J Am Ceram Soc2019; 102: 5316–5327.
53.
PriyaS. Criterion for material selection in design of bulk piezoelectric energy harvesters. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control2010; 57: 2610–2612.
54.
SodanoHAParkGLeoDJ, et al.Use of piezoelectric energy harvesting devices for charging batteries. In: Proceedings of SPIE Smart Structures and Materials : Smart Sensor Technology and Measurement Systems, San Diego, California, 2003, pp. 101–108.
55.
GaoXWuJYuY, et al.Giant Piezoelectric Coefficients in Relaxor Piezoelectric Ceramic PNN-PZT for Vibration Energy Harvesting. Adv Funct Mater2018; 28: 1–8.
56.
TanDYavarowPErturkA. Resonant nonlinearities of piezoelectric macro-fiber composite cantilevers with interdigitated electrodes in energy harvesting. Nonlinear Dyn2018; 92: 1–11.
57.
CacanMErturkA. Comparative investigation of the electroelastic dynamics of piezoceramics with interdigitated and uniform electrodes. In: Proceedings of the ASME Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems. GA, USA, September 10–12, 2018: Stone Mountain, 2012, pp. 1–9.
58.
ShahabSErturkA. Electrohydroelastic Euler-Bernoulli-Morison model for underwater resonant actuation of macro-fiber composite piezoelectric cantilevers. Smart Mater Struct2016; 25: 1–15.
59.
BhallaSMoharanaS. A refined shear lag model for adhesively bonded piezo-impedance transducers. J Intell Mater Syst Struct2012; 24: 33–48.
60.
HanLWangXDSunY. The effect of bonding layer properties on the dynamic behaviour of surface-bonded piezoelectric sensors. Int J Sol Struct2008; 45: 5599–5612.
61.
MallouliMChouchaneM. Piezoelectric energy harvesting using macro fiber composite patches. Proc Inst Mech Eng C J Mech Eng Sci2020; 234: 1–9.
62.
PriyaSInmanDJ. Energy Harvesting Technologies. In: InmanJ (ed) Shashank Priya Virginia Tech and Daniel. New York, NY: Springer, 2009, pp. 107–128.
63.
IslamRAPriyaS. Realization of high-energy density polycrystalline piezoelectric ceramics. Appl Phys Lett2006; 88: 1–3.
64.
DeutzDBPascoeJASchelenB, et al.Analysis and experimental validation of the figure of merit for piezoelectric energy harvesters. Mater Horizons2018; 5: 1–29.
65.
YangZZhouSZuJ, et al.High-performance piezoelectric energy harvesters and their applications. Joule2018; 2: 1–56.
66.
BrenesAMorelAGibusD, et al.Large-bandwidth piezoelectric energy harvesting with frequency-tuning synchronized electric charge extraction. Sensors Actuators, A Phys2020; 302: 1–10.
67.
BenaroyaH. Mechanical vibration analysis uncertainties and control. In: FaulknerLL (ed). 2nd ed.New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, 2004, p. 7.
68.
PeyretN. Dissipation de l’énergie mécanique dans les assemblages : effets du frottement en sollicitation dynamique. Phd Thesis. Paris-Est University, 2012.
69.
WangXYuanXWuM, et al.Effect of epoxy resin on the actuating performance of piezoelectric fiber composites. Sensors2019; 19: 1–10.
70.
BrockmannTH. Theory of adaptive fiber composites. In: GladwellGML (ed). London, New York: Springer Netherlands, 2009, pp. 45–49.
DabiriAMadrilE. Isothermal creep behavior of 3MTM Scotch-WeldTM EC-2216 B\A in Single Lap Joints. In: Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference IDETC/CIE. NC, USA: Charlotte, 2016.
76.
TrindadeMABenjeddouA. Parametric analysis of effective material properties of thickness-shear piezoelectric macro-fibre composites. J Braz Soc Mech Sci Eng2012; 34: 352–361.
TrindadeMABenjeddouA. Finite element characterisation of multilayer d31 piezoelectric macro-fibre composites. Compos Struct2016; 151: 47–57.
79.
TrindadeMABenjeddouA. Finite element characterization and parametric analysis of the nonlinear behaviour of an actual d 15 shear MFC. Acta Mech2013; 224: 2489–2503.
80.
XuRKimS-G. Figures of merits of piezoelectric materials in energy harvesters. In: Power MEMS. Atlanta, GA, 2012, pp. 464–467.
81.
TopolovVY. Figures of merit and problems of piezoelectric sensitivity of composites based on ferroelectric ceramics. In: WCU. Paris, 2003, pp. 1459–1462.
82.
MisumiJOyamaT. Low viscosity and high toughness epoxy resin modified by in situ radical polymerization method for improving mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced plastics. Polymer (Guildf)2018; 156: 1–33.
83.
YangYZhaoYFWangJY, et al.Structure and properties of a low viscosity acrylate based flexible epoxy resin. J Appl Polym Sci2016; 133: 1–11.
84.
WielandBWolfgangSK. Modelling piezoelectric modules with interdigitated electrode structures. Comput Mater Sci2003; 26: 36–45.
85.
WilliamsRB. Nonlinear mechanical and actuation characterization of piezoceramic fiber composites. Phd Thesis. State University, 2004.
86.
StantonSCErturkAMannBP, et al.Resonant manifestation of intrinsic nonlinearity within electroelastic micropower generators. Appl Phys Lett2010; 97: 1–3.
87.
TriplettAQuinnDD. The effect of non-linear piezoelectric coupling on vibration-based energy harvesting. In: ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. Boston, MA, 2009, pp. 1–6.
