Thick-film Piezoceramic Microgenerators

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Description/Abstract

Piezoelectric materials have many desirable characteristics for use in vibration energy harvesting applications. They can produce relatively high output voltages (from a few to several tens of volts) for modest levels of vibration. Many piezoelectric-based generators use piezoceramic materials such as bulk lead zirconate titanate (PZT), which are attached to an elastic element (spring/beam) by using an adhesive. Thick-film technology can offer an advantage over this approach by providing the abiity to integrate fully the piezoelectric element onto the beam. This paper provides an overview of the use of piezoelectric materials in energy harvesters and discusses a novel approach to developing free-standing, thick-film piezoelectric devices.