Initial Research on the Method of Storage for Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Devices

Piezoelectric materials have a crystalline structure that provides a unique ability to convert an applied electrical potential into a mechanical strain or vice versa,or convert an applied strain into an electrical current.Using the latter of these two properties this paper investigates the ability to use this energy from the piezoelectric to charge a discharged battery.It is found that the power output by a piezoelectric material is capable of recharging a discharged battery.With a low-frequency excitation of a piezoelectric plate,it is demonstrated that a 15 mAh battery can be charged in less than two hours and 80 mAh battery can be charged in less than seven hours.The finding that piezoelectric materials can be utilized for recharging batteries opens the way fowards most micro-electro-mechanical systems,in which power can be supplied by self.