Single crystal PMN-PT/epoxy 1-3 composite for energy-harvesting application.

One key parameter in using electroactive materials to harvest electric energy from mechanical sources is the energy conversion efficiency. Recently, it was shown that, in the relaxor ferroelectric PMN-PT single crystals, a very high longitudinal electromechanical coupling factor (>90%) can be obtained. This paper investigates energy harvesting using 1-3 composites of PMN-PT single crystals in a soft epoxy matrix. It is shown that 1-3 composites enable the single crystals operating in the longitudinal mode to achieve high efficiency for energy harvesting, and the soft-polymer, matrix-supported single-crystal rods maintain high mechanical integrity under different external loads. For comparison, 1-3 composites with piezoceramic PZT also are investigated in energy-harvesting applications, and the results show that the high coupling factor of single crystal PMN-PT 1-3 composites leads to much higher electric energy output for similar mechanical energy input. The harvested energy density of 1-3 composite with single crystal (22.1 mW/cm3 under a stress of 40.4 MPa) is about twice of that harvested with PZT ceramic 1-3 composite (12 mW/cm3 under a stress of 39 MPa). At a higher stress level, the harvested-energy density of 1-3 PMN-PT single crystal composite can reach 96 mW/cm3.