Investigation of high temperature vulcanized and room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber based on flexible piezo‐electric energy harvesting applications with multi‐walled carbon nanotube reinforced composites

摘要

Abstract Flexible energy harvester can be able to produce continuous voltage output under the mechanical deformations. High temperature vulcanized (HTV) and room temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone rubbers are used for making the flexible piezo‐electric energy harvester. A total of 1 and 2 phr of multi‐walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) are used as the electrode material mixed with the rubber solution for the preparation of flexible electrode. Cyclic loading machine is used for the application of 2 Hz of bi‐axial load and uniaxial compression load in the specimen. One centimeter depth of displacement is applied during the bi‐axial cyclic loading and 4 mm amplitude of displacement is applied during the compression loading. Tensile and compression tests are performed to determine the engineering properties of the material. Tensile load withstanding value of the silicone rubber is increasing as increasing the MWCNT filler in the rubber. Tensile value of the pure HTV silicone rubber is 10.020 N and for 2 phr MWCNT reinforced rubber is 22.106 N. Compressive withstanding load of pure HTV rubber is 189.565 N and for 2 phr MWCNT reinforced rubber is 287.066 N. HTV silicone rubber is the highly stiffness material on compares with RTV rubber based on the tensile and the compressive value. Transmission electron microscopy, optical micrographs, and scanning electron microscope show the morphology of MWCNT and surface image of specimen. A total of 2 mm substrate based 2 phr MWCNT reinforced HTV flexible energy harvester undergo decrease in voltage during the cyclic loading due to breakage of electrode. A total of 2 phr MWCNT electrode‐based sample can be able to produce more output voltage than 1 phr MWCNT electrode‐based sample during bi‐axial and compression loading. More voltage is produced in the compression specimen than bi‐axial one.