Development of a Ternary Composite of PU Resin/Carbon Black/PZT for Mechanical Energy Harvesting Application

Today, rapid depletion of energy sources forces us to discover alternative sustainable electrical energy sources quickly. The aim of this work was to develop a ternary composite of PU resin/carbon black/PZT to be an efficient mechanical energy harvester. Specifically, this present work attempted to find the optimum weight ratio of a PU resin/carbon black/PZT composite that could provide the highest mechanical-to-electrical conversion efficiency. The PU resin was the main matrix. Carbon black (CB) was added to improve conductivity while still maintaining good casting property. Then, PZT was added to generate electricity. Testing several weight ratios of this composite, it was found that the samples ratio of 60:20:20 was optimum and able to generate an average voltage of 0.357 V/in2. This ternary composite material has a candidate to into a practical and efficient electrical energy harvester source.