Imperceptible energy harvesting device and biomedical sensor based on ultraflexible ferroelectric transducers and organic diodes

Nat Commun. 2021 Apr 23;12(1):2399. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-22663-6.

Abstract

Energy autonomy and conformability are essential elements in the next generation of wearable and flexible electronics for healthcare, robotics and cyber-physical systems. This study presents ferroelectric polymer transducers and organic diodes for imperceptible sensing and energy harvesting systems, which are integrated on ultrathin (1-µm) substrates, thus imparting them with excellent flexibility. Simulations show that the sensitivity of ultraflexible ferroelectric polymer transducers is strongly enhanced by using an ultrathin substrate, which allows the mounting on 3D-shaped objects and the stacking in multiple layers. Indeed, ultraflexible ferroelectric polymer transducers have improved sensitivity to strain and pressure, fast response and excellent mechanical stability, thus forming imperceptible wireless e-health patches for precise pulse and blood pressure monitoring. For harvesting biomechanical energy, the transducers are combined with rectifiers based on ultraflexible organic diodes thus comprising an imperceptible, 2.5-µm thin, energy harvesting device with an excellent peak power density of 3 mW·cm-3.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bioelectric Energy Sources*
  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods
  • Electronics, Medical / instrumentation*
  • Electronics, Medical / methods
  • Humans
  • Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems / instrumentation
  • Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems / methods
  • Monitoring, Physiologic / instrumentation
  • Monitoring, Physiologic / methods
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Robotics / instrumentation
  • Robotics / methods
  • Transducers*
  • Wearable Electronic Devices*