Self Powered Nanopiezoelectric Device Based on ZnO Nanorod Array on Flexible Conjugated Copolymer Hybrid

Harvesting energy directly from the environment is one of the most effective and promising approaches for powering nanodevices. In this study, nano piezoelectric devices based on ZnO nanorod array/conducting polymers are fabricated for wearable power generation application. To replace the inorganic rigid indium-tin oxide (ITO) conducting coating commonly used in the nanogenerator devices, a series of flexible polyaniline-based conducting copolymers underlying the ZnO nanorod arrays has been synthesized with improved electric conductivity by the copolymerization of aniline and 3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) monomers in order to optimize the piezoelectric current collection efficiency of the Devices. Although the efficiency and durability of harvesting materials such as piezoelectric nanowires have steadily improved, the voltage and power produced by a single nanowire are insufficient for real devices. The integration of large numbers of nanowire energy harvesters into a single power source is therefore necessary, requiring alignment of the nanowires as well as synchronization of their charging and discharging processes. As an innovative and much improved step towards achieving a high-power-output, an ac nanogenerator based on vertically or laterally aligned ZnO nanowire arrays based on a hydrothermal method is proposed. It is to synthesize ZnO nanorod arrays on polyaniline-based conducting polymer coatings with different electric conductivities.