Flexoelectric vibration harvester

Matrix context

D = disequilibrium row · C = coupling family column. A cell reads the state of the atlas for that pair.

D.09 × C.11 · Mechanical vibration × Flexoelectricfamily: Flexoelectric

Measured or reported performance

1. output voltage≈ 0.19 V averagelaboratory2025
   two-stage stepped epoxy cantilever with an unpolarised α-PVDF flexoelectric layer (60 × 10 mm, 45 μm) on a vibration exciter, sinusoidal 20 Hz, measured acceleration 0.915 g; off resonance (the 1.2 Hz resonance was beyond the shaker) — the paper's 3.58 V and 94.93 mW m⁻³ at resonance are theory and finite elements, not measurements, and are not recorded here
   refs [2]

Steps

1. 01
   Mechanical vibration —drives→ Elastic deformationestablishedclaim record

   mechanical → mechanical · loss to thermal

   • cyclic deformation of an elastic member (a cantilever
   • a plate
   • a sheet) by base or inertial excitation; operation at a structural resonance amplifies the deformation but is not required

   solid

   refs [1] [2] [3]
2. 02
   Elastic deformation —produces→ Mechanical stress or strainestablishedclaim record

   mechanical → mechanical

   • the deformed member carries a cyclic stress or strain state that can drive a stress-driven conversion (flexoelectric
   • elastocaloric
   • piezoelectric)

   refs [4] [1]
3. 03
   Mechanical stress or strain —drives→ Flexoelectric effectestablishedclaim record

   mechanical → electrical · loss to thermal

   P = μ · ∇ε · flexoelectric coefficient μ [C/m]

   • the required strain gradient may be generated mechanically (e.g. bending) or by spatially non-uniform thermal expansion; uniform strain alone does not produce bulk flexoelectric polarization in a centrosymmetric dielectric
   • coefficients are small in bulk (nC/m) and useful only at the nanoscale or in thin films

   solid · dielectric required

   refs [5] [6]
4. 04
   Flexoelectric effect —produces→ Separated surface chargeestablishedclaim record

   electrical → electrical

   refs [5] [6]
5. 05
   Separated surface charge —converts into→ Electrical workestablishedclaim record

   electrical → electrical · loss to thermal

   • electrodes on the charged surfaces connected through a load

   refs [7]

Evidence for the complete composition · 1

1. [2]
   S. Yang et al.. Performance enhancement of flexoelectric energy harvester by structural design (2025)

   International Journal of Smart and Nano Materials 16(4), 908–928 · doi:10.1080/19475411.2025.2592544 · record

Evidence for the constituent relations · 7

1. [1]
   A. Erturk, D. J. Inman. Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting (2011)

   Wiley · doi:10.1002/9781119991151 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
2. [2]
   S. Yang et al.. Performance enhancement of flexoelectric energy harvester by structural design (2025)

   International Journal of Smart and Nano Materials 16(4), 908–928 · doi:10.1080/19475411.2025.2592544 · record
3. [3]
   A. Kumar et al.. Vibration induced refrigeration using ferroelectric materials (2019)

   Scientific Reports 9, 3922 · doi:10.1038/s41598-019-40159-8 · record
4. [4]
   J. F. Nye. Physical Properties of Crystals: Their Representation by Tensors and Matrices (1985)

   Oxford University Press · book, no DOI · record
5. [5]
   P. Zubko, G. Catalan, A. K. Tagantsev. Flexoelectric effect in solids (2013)

   Annual Review of Materials Research 43, 387–421 · doi:10.1146/annurev-matsci-071312-121634 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
6. [6]
   S. Iwakiri, Y. Miyata, T. Mori. Observation of universal thermopolarization effect in insulators (2026)

   arXiv:2605.17224 (17 May 2026), National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba · arxiv.org/abs/2605.17224 · record
7. [7]
   H. B. Radousky, H. Liang. Energy harvesting: an integrated view of materials, devices and applications (2012)

   Nanotechnology 23, 502001 · doi:10.1088/0957-4484/23/50/502001 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record