Hybrid film boosts energy harvesting from motion by up to 450%

A new study led by (PI) Professor M. Jasim Uddin, Ph.D., Professor of Mechanical Engineering at SUNY Polytechnic Institute, has been published in ACS Omega, advancing the frontier of sustainable, self-powered technologies.

The research, titled “Advanced Microstructured BaTiO₃-Embedded PVDF-HFP/PEO Film for Enhanced Triboelectric Interface in Self-Sufficient Energy Generation and Sensing,” introduces a novel hybrid material that significantly improves the efficiency of triboelectric nanogenerators—devices that convert ambient mechanical motion into usable electrical energy.

By embedding barium titanate (BaTiO₃) microparticles into a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) polymer matrix, the research team achieved up to a 450% increase in electrical output, generating up to 18 volts from simple mechanical motions such as walking, wrist bending, or surface tapping.

The resulting flexible, lightweight film demonstrates promising applications for wearable electronics, health monitoring systems, and smart infrastructure that harvest energy from everyday human movement.

This breakthrough highlights the potential of nanostructured hybrid materials to power the next generation of self-sustaining, low-voltage devices, bridging materials science innovation with practical renewable energy applications.