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This study deals with the effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) star-like filler addition to the poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix, and its effect on the structural and physical properties and consequences to the vibration sensing performance. Microwave-assisted synthesis in open vessel setup was optimized for the preparation of the star-like shape of ZnO crystalline particles. The crystalline and star-like structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDX). Furthermore, the PVDF-based composites were prepared using a spin-coating technique from solution. An investigation of the transformation of the α crystalline phase to the β crystalline phase of the neat PVDF matrix and with various filler concentrations was performed using Fourier-Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, which shows an enhanced β-phase from 44.1% to 66.4% for neat PVDF and PVDF with 10 wt.% of particles, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements and investigation showed enhanced crystallinity and melting enthalpy of the composite systems in comparison to neat PVDF, since ZnO star-like particles act as nucleating agents. The impact of the filler content on the physical properties, such as thermal and dynamic mechanical properties, which are critical for the intended applications, were investigated as well, and showed that fabricated composites exhibit enhanced thermal stability. Because of its dynamic mechanical properties, the composites can still be utilized as flexible sensors. Finally, the vibration sensing capability was systematically investigated, and it was shown that the addition of ZnO star-like filler enhanced the value of the thickness mode d33 piezoelectric constant from 16.3 pC/N to 29.2 pC/N for neat PVDF and PVDF with 10 wt.% of ZnO star-like particles. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Energy harvesting is an essential technology for enabling low-power, maintenance-free electronic devices, and thus has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. A variety of designs and approaches have been proposed to harvest ambient vibration energy, but crucial questions remain regarding figures of merit characterizing the performance of energy harvesters. Of primary importance is the energy conversion efficiency. There are large discrepancies in the definition and tested values of efficiency in the literature. This study is intended to answer the fundamental question for energy harvesters: how to define and calculate the energy conversion efficiency. We first review studies on efficiency and analyze the energy flow in an energy harvesting system. Based on the analysis, we derive an efficiency expression for linear cantilever energy harvesters. The developed efficiency expression transparently and quantitatively reveals the relationship between efficiency and key parameters. Experiments are performed to validate the efficiency expression. Furthermore nonlinear energy harvesters are tested in both on-resonance and off-resonance conditions. Both experimental and theoretical studies manifest that the energy conversion efficiency tends to decrease as the excitation frequency rises and its value is related to the phase difference between excitations and responses. Around resonance states where the phase difference of both linear and nonlinear energy harvesters is about 90 degrees, the efficiency calculation is much simplified. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

The harvesting of mechanical strain and kinetic energy has received great attention over the past two decades in order to power wireless electronic components such as those used in passive and active monitoring applications. Piezoelectric ceramics, such as PZT (lead zirconate titanate), constitute the most commonly used electromechanical interface in vibration energy harvesters. However, there are applications in which piezoelectric ceramics cannot be used due to their low allowable curvature and brittle nature. Soft polymer PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) is arguably the most popular non-ceramic soft piezoelectric energy harvester material for such scenarios. Another type of polymer that has received less attention is PP (polypropylene) for electret-based energy harvesting using the thickness mode (33-mode). This work presents figure of merit comparison of PP versus PVDF for off-resonant energy harvesting in thickness mode operation, revealing substantial advantage of PP over PVDF. For thickness-mode energy harvesting scenarios (e.g. dynamic compression) at reasonable ambient vibration frequencies, the figure of merit for the maximum power output is proportional to the square of the effective piezoelectric strain constant divided by the effective permittivity constant. Under optimal conditions and for the same volume, it is shown that PP can generate more than two orders of magnitude larger electrical power as compared to PVDF due to the larger effective piezoelectric strain constant and lower permittivity of the former.

Piezoelectric structures have been used in a variety of applications ranging from vibration control and sensing to morphing and energy harvesting. In order to employ the effective 33-mode of piezoelectricity, interdigitated electrodes have been used in the design of macro-fiber composites which employ piezoelectric fibers with rectangular cross section. In this article, we present an investigation of the two-way electroelastic coupling (in the sense of direct and converse piezoelectric effects) in bimorph cantilevers that employ interdigitated electrodes for 33-mode operation. A distributedparameter electroelastic modeling framework is developed for the elastodynamic scenarios of piezoelectric power generation and dynamic actuation. Mixing rules (i.e. rule of mixtures) formulation is employed to evaluate the equivalent and homogenized properties of macro-fiber composite structures. The electroelastic and dielectric properties of a representative volume element (piezoelectric fiber and epoxy matrix) between two neighboring interdigitated electrodes are then coupled with the global electro-elastodynamics based on the Euler–Bernoulli kinematics accounting for twoway electromechanical coupling. Various macro-fiber composite bimorph cantilevers with different widths are tested for resonant dynamic actuation and power generation with resistive shunt damping. Excellent agreement is reported between the measured electroelastic frequency response and predictions of the analytical framework that bridges the continuum electro-elastodynamics and mixing rules formulation.

This paper presents analytical modeling and case studies of broadband and band-limited random vibration energy harvesting using a piezoceramic patch attached on a thin plate. The literature of vibration-based energy harvesting has been mostly focused on resonant cantilevered structures. However, cantilevered beam-type harvesters have limited broadband vibration energy harvesting capabilities unless they are combined with a nonlinear component. Moreover, cantilever arrangements cannot always be mounted on thin structures (which are basic components of marine, aerospace, and ground transportation systems) without significantly affecting the host system's design and overall dynamics. A patch-based piezoelectric energy harvester structurally integrated to a thin plate can be a proper alternative to using resonant cantilevers for harvesting energy from thin structures. Besides, plate-like structures have more number of vibration modes compared to beam structures, offering better broadband performance characteristics. In this paper, we present analytical modelling of patch-based piezoelectric energy harvester attached on a thin plate for random vibrations. The analytical model is based on electromechanically-coupled distributed-parameter formulation and validated by comparing the electromechanical frequency response functions (FRFs) with experimental results. Example case studies are then presented to investigate the expected power output of a piezoceramic patch attached on an aluminum plate for the case of random force excitations. The effect of bandwidth of random excitation on the mean power and shunted mean-square vibration response are explored with a focus on the number of vibration modes covered in the frequency range of input power spectral density (PSD)., Koç University TUPRAS Energy Center (KUTEM)

Today's business environment is a highly competitive marketplace. In this competition, organizations distribute numerous rewards to motivate, attract and retain employees, such as pay, fringe benefits and promotions. However, not all managers have the necessary knowledge and expertise to effectively decide and structure reward systems. This thesis presents an expert system to assist managers with designing the most appropriate reward system in their organizations. The system queries the user about the organization's goals, structure, culture, technology and its management's vision. This information is then filtered through decision matrixes in the knowledge base to generate the results along with an explanation and an estimated accuracy factor. The system was designed and programmed using Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0. The decision tables in the knowledge base were designed and structured using a Microsoft Access database. The results show that similar knowledge base expert systems could be designed and programmed to assist managers for other purposes in organizations, http://archive.org/details/anexpertsystemfo109457698, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Turkish Navy, Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

We propose and experimentally validate a first-principles based model for the nonlinear piezoelectric response of an electroelastic energy harvester. The analysis herein highlights the importance of modeling inherent piezoelectric nonlinearities that are not limited to higher order elastic effects but also include nonlinear coupling to a power harvesting circuit. Furthermore, a nonlinear damping mechanism is shown to accurately restrict the amplitude and bandwidth of the frequency response. The linear piezoelectric modeling framework widely accepted for theoretical investigations is demonstrated to be a weak presumption for near-resonant excitation amplitudes as low as 0.5 g in a prefabricated bimorph whose oscillation amplitudes remain geometrically linear for the full range of experimental tests performed (never exceeding 0.25% of the cantilever overhang length). Nonlinear coefficients are identified via a nonlinear least-squares optimization algorithm that utilizes an approximate analytic solution obtained by the method of harmonic balance. For lead zirconate titanate (PZT-5H), we obtained a fourth order elastic tensor component of c(1111)(p)=-3.6673 x 10(17) N/m(2) and a fourth order electroelastic tensor value of e(3111)=1.7212 x 10(8) m/V. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3486519]