The investigation of the conversion of vibrational energy into electrical power has become a major field of research. In recent years, bistable energy harvesting devices have attracted significant attention due to some of their unique features. Through a snap-through action, bistable systems transition from one stable state to the other, which could cause large amplitude motion and dramatically increase power generation. Due to their nonlinear characteristics, such devices may be effective across a broad-frequency bandwidth. Consequently, a rapid engagement of research has been undertaken to understand bistable electromechanical dynamics and to utilize the insight for the development of improved designs. This paper reviews, consolidates, and reports on the major efforts and findings documented in the literature. A common analytical framework for bistable electromechanical dynamics is presented, the principal results are provided, the wide variety of bistable energy harvesters are described, and some remaining challenges and proposed solutions are summarized.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0964-1726/22/2/023001/pdf

A review of the recent research on vibration energy harvesting via bistable systems

Recent advances in nonlinear passive vibration isolators

High-Performance Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters and Their Applications

Textiles have been concomitant of human civilization for thousands of years. With the advances in chemistry and materials, integrating textiles with energy harvesters will provide a sustainable, environmentally friendly, pervasive, and wearable energy solution for distributed on-body electronics in the era of Internet of Things. This article comprehensively and thoughtfully reviews research activities regarding the utilization of smart textiles for harvesting energy from renewable energy sources on the human body and its surroundings. Specifically, we start with a brief introduction to contextualize the significance of smart textiles in light of the emerging energy crisis, environmental pollution, and public health. Next, we systematically review smart textiles according to their abilities to harvest biomechanical energy, body heat energy, biochemical energy, solar energy as well as hybrid forms of energy. Finally, we provide a critical analysis of smart textiles and insights into remaining challenges and future directions. With worldwide efforts, innovations in chemistry and materials elaborated in this review will push forward the frontiers of smart textiles, which will soon revolutionize our lives in the era of Internet of Things.

Smart Textiles for Electricity Generation.

In an effort to eliminate the replacement of the batteries of electronic devices that are difficult or impractical to service once deployed, harvesting energy from mechanical vibrations or impacts using piezoelectric materials has been researched over the last several decades. However, a majority of these applications have very low input frequencies. This presents a challenge for the researchers to optimize the energy output of piezoelectric energy harvesters, due to the relatively high elastic moduli of piezoelectric materials used to date. This paper reviews the current state of research on piezoelectric energy harvesting devices for low frequency (0–100 Hz) applications and the methods that have been developed to improve the power outputs of the piezoelectric energy harvesters. Various key aspects that contribute to the overall performance of a piezoelectric energy harvester are discussed, including geometries of the piezoelectric element, types of piezoelectric material used, techniques employed to match the resonance frequency of the piezoelectric element to input frequency of the host structure, and electronic circuits specifically designed for energy harvesters.

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Energy harvesting from low frequency applications using piezoelectric materials

Nonlinear Vibrations of a Buckled Beam Under Harmonic Excitation

An electromechanically coupled model for a cantilevered piezoelectric energy harvester with a proof mass is presented. Proof masses are essential in microscale devices to move device resonances towards optimal frequency points for harvesting. Such devices with proof masses have not been rigorously modeled previously; instead, lumped mass or concentrated point masses at arbitrary points on the beam have been used. Thus, this work focuses on the exact vibration analysis of cantilevered energy harvester devices including a tip proof mass. The model is based not only on a detailed modal analysis, but also on a thorough investigation of damping ratios that can significantly affect device performance. A model with multiple degrees of freedom is developed and then reduced to a single-mode model, yielding convenient closed-form normalized predictions of device performance. In order to verify the analytical model, experimental tests are undertaken on a macroscale, symmetric, bimorph, piezoelectric energy harvester with proof masses of different geometries. The model accurately captures all aspects of the measured response, including the location of peak-power operating points at resonance and anti-resonance, and trends such as the dependence of the maximal power harvested on the frequency. It is observed that even a small change in proof mass geometry results in a substantial change of device performance due not only to the frequency shift, but also to the effect on the strain distribution along the device length. Future work will include the optimal design of devices for various applications, and quantification of the importance of nonlinearities (structural and piezoelectric coupling) for device performance.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0964-1726/19/4/045023/pdf

Modeling and experimental verification of proof mass effects on vibration energy harvester performance

The general characteristics of panel flutter at high supersonic Mach numbers are examined theoretically. Linear plate theory and two-dimensional first-order aerodynamics are used. The paper attempts to clarify the important role of damping, the relationship between traveling and standing wave theories of panel flutter, and the effects of edge conditions. The solution procedures and general mathematical behavior may be of interest in other stability problems characterized by the appearance of complex eigenvalues.

Theoretical considerations of panel flutter at high supersonic Mach numbers.

The large deflections of a clamped circular plate are investigated over a wide range of transverse loadings and initial in-plane tension loads. The continuous transition from plate behavior to membrane behavior is described in detail, along with the development of the accompanying edge zone region where properties change rapidly. We give a simple approximation of this edge zone and its properties, provide limits for the validity of small deflection, linear theory, and note the similar effects of large in-plane tension and large transverse loading. The values and trends are presented in general nondimensional form, and should prove useful for the design of thin circular disks for microsensing applications.

Large Deflections of Clamped Circular Plates Under Initial Tension and Transitions to Membrane Behavior

An analytical and experimental investigation was conducted to determine the aeroelastic flutter and divergence behavior of unswept, rectangular wings simulated by graphite/epox y, cantilevered plates with various amounts of bending-torsi on stiffness coupling. The analytical approach incorporated a Rayleigh-Ritz energy formulation and unsteady, incompressible two-dimensional aerodynamic theory. Flutter and divergence velocities were obtained using the \ -g method and compared to results of low-speed wind tunnel tests. Stall flutter behavior was also examined experimentally. There was good agreement between analytical and experimental results. Wings with negative stiffness coupling exhibited divergence, while positive coupling delayed the onset of stall flutter.

John Dugundji

Papers

Nonlinear Vibrations of a Buckled Beam Under Harmonic Excitation

Modeling and experimental verification of proof mass effects on vibration energy harvester performance

Theoretical considerations of panel flutter at high supersonic Mach numbers.

Large Deflections of Clamped Circular Plates Under Initial Tension and Transitions to Membrane Behavior

Aeroelastic flutter and divergence of stiffness coupled, graphite/epoxy cantilevered plates