Comparison of Piezo-material based Energy Transduction Systems for Artificial Nanoswimmer

Abstract

The energy harnessing is a process of obtaining energy from the surrounding environment and converting into electrical energy. In the last two decades, there has been a plenteous study in energy harnessing. Now a day, energy harnessing using piezoelectric materials has drawn attention of researchers due to low cost, flexibility and light weight. The benefits of piezoelectric material can be utilized by designing a self-powered device for artificial nanoswimmer. Some of the ceramics which displays the piezoelectric effect are lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT), lead-titanate (PbTiO2), lead-zirconate (PbZrO3) and Barium Titanate (BaTiO3). PZT is most extensively used piezoelectric material in the field of energy harnessing but it is brittle in nature. Lead based piezoelectric materials are toxic in nature and may not suitable for in-vivo biomedical applications. To eradicate this problem, researchers are interested in synthesizing lead free piezoelectric material such as Aluminium Nitride (AIN), Barium Titanate (BaTiO3) and Polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF). The biocompatibility of PVDF makes it appropriate to be used for energy harnessing in human body for applications like on board powering of nanoswimmer for various disease detection and drug delivery. In this paper, a cantilever beam is being simulated in COMSOL to study electric potential generated on the surface of beam made of different piezoelectric materials such as AIN, PVDF and PZT due to fluidic pressure, which will be utilized as energy for actuation of artificial nanoswimmer. Piezo-based cantilever beams have been compared and maximum electric potential is being observed in PVDF based beam. PVDF seems most promising piezoelectric material for in-vivo biomedical application and it is readily available.