(Closed) PIEZOFLEX – High-performance piezoelectric flexible materials enabled by hierarchically porous graphite for application as mechanical energy harvesters and sensors

Summary

Title High-performance piezoelectric flexible materials enabled by hierarchically porous graphite for application as mechanical energy harvesters and sensors
Reference UTA-EXPL/NPN/0015/2019
Scientific Area Nanotechnologies
Funding (PT) 50 000,00 EUR
Funding (US) 50 000,00 USD
Leading Institutions University of Aveiro
Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, UT Austin
Duration 12 months 15 months
Start date November 1, 2020
End date October 31, 2021 January 31, 2022
Keywords Nanogenerator, Barium titanate, Sensor, Graphene

Piezoelectric materials have an impressive capacity to perform conversions from mechanical stresses into electric voltages and vice versa. These materials must be sufficiently thinner and resistant to be deformed, counteracting the weaknesses of inorganic metal oxides.

PIEZOFLEX aims at exploring an original paradigm in the design and scalable fabrication of high-performance piezoelectric flexible materials enabled by hierarchically porous graphite.

The project will inspire advances in the concept, design, and fabrication of functional flexible and stretchable materials for wearable electronics and energy harvesting and, simultaneously, in the research for more novel functional materials.

Key Outcomes

  • Two laboratory prototypes;
  • Scientific production (one M.Sc. thesis; one paper in an international journal, two communications in international and national meetings);
  • A webinar/conference.

Papers and Communications

  • Jia, Q., Liu, Y., Fan, D. E., & Shi, L. (2021). Structural and Synthetic Modification of Graphitic Foams and Dendritic Graphitic Foams for Thermal Management. In physica status solidi (a) (p. 2100576). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.202100576

E-Posters

Project Team

Paula Ferreira

Principal Investigator in Portugal (University of Aveiro) PIEZOFLEX

Donglei (Emma) Fan

Principal Investigator in Austin (UT Austin) PIEZOFLEX