Design strategy and innovation in piezo- and pyroelectric nanogenerators

Abstract The dimensional shrinkage of recent electronic components demands multifunctional sensor with less power-consuming devices. The flexible, stretchable, and skin-conformable sensor that can operate low-power personal electronics by harvesting mechanical and thermal energies from body movements and heat is of profound importance in the self-powered technology. The nanogenerator enables to change the mechanical and thermal energy into electricity by harvesting body movements and heat dissipation. The ongoing progress of energy harvesters is not only to harvest the mechanical and thermal energy but also to enhance electricity generation performance to implement in real-life problem. In this chapter, ongoing innovation on piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and their hybrid structure-based energy harvesters is discussed elaborately. In particular, device design engineering strategy and material geometrical feature onto the performance and mechanism of piezo- and pyroelectric energy harvesting are also highlighted. Based on the ongoing strategy, future prospects and still unexplored area of research and key challenges are concisely discussed.