• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.263-263
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• 2007

In the future, self-contained sensors and processing units will need on-board, renewable power supplies to be truly autonomous. One way of supplying such power is through energy harvesting, processes by which ambient forms of energy are converted into electricity. One energy harvesting technique involves converting kinetic energy, in the form of vibrations, into electrical energy through the use of piezoelectric materials. Researchers are currently investigating how piezoelectric materials can be used to harvest power. This study examines the use of auxiliary structures, consisting of a mechanical fixture and a lead zirconate/lead titanate (PZT) piezoelectric element, which can be attached to any boundary conditions vibrating beam of the any boundary conditions. Adjusting various boundary conditions of these structures can maximize the strain induced in the attached PZT element and improve power output.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.41 no.11
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• pp.1574-1579
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• 2016

This paper presents a self-powered sensor-node scheme using a RF wireless power harvesting techniques for improve drone time of flight. Sensor-node that is proposed is turned when two conditions satisfy: The one is input RF ID data from master-node should be same with sensor-node's ID, and the other one is RF wireless power harvesting system is turned on by hysteresis switch. In this paper, master-node's output is 26 dBm at 263 MHz. Maximum RF to DC power conversion efficiency is about 55% at 4-6 dBm input power condition (2 meter from master-node). The maximum RF wireless power harvesting range is about 13 meter form master-node. And power consumption of the sensor-node's load elements such as transmitter, MCU and temperature sensors is approximately average 15 mA at 5.0 V for 10 msec.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.312-317
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• 2022

Piezoelectric energy harvesting has attracted increasing attention over the last decade as a means for generating sustainable and long-lasting energy from wasted mechanical energy. To develop self-powered wearable devices, piezoelectric materials should be flexible, stretchable, and bio-eco-friendly. This study proposed the fabrication of stretchable piezoelectric composites via dispersing perovskite-structured BaTiO₃ nanoparticles inside an Ecoflex polymeric matrix. In particular, the stretchable piezoelectric sensor array was fabricated via a simple and cost-effective spin-coating process by exploiting the piezoelectric composite comprising of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles, Ecoflex matrix, and stretchable Ag coated textile electrodes. The fabricated sensor generated an output voltage of ~4.3 V under repeated compressing deformations. Moreover, the piezoelectric sensor array exhibited robust mechanical stability during mechanical pushing of ~5,000 cycles. Finite element method with multiphysics COMSOL simulation program was employed to support the experimental output performance of the fabricated device. Finally, the stretchable piezoelectric sensor array can be used as a self-powered touch sensor that can effectively detect and distinguish mechanical stimuli, such as pressing by a human finger. The fabricated sensor demonstrated potential to be used in a stretchable, lead-free, and scalable piezoelectric sensor array.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.292-297
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• 2023

Triboelectric devices are attracting attention from researchers as self-powered electronic systems that can instantly convert mechanical input into electrical energy output. To improve triboelectric energy harvesting performance, increasing the number of contacts as well as the contact area has been carried out by numerous researchers. In this study, we design a shaker-type energy harvester which is called as maracas triboelectric generator (M-TEG), inspired by the structure of maracas, one of the musical percussion instruments. A tripod frame is inserted to the inside of a cylindrical case, which is a device with the electrodes of aluminum and copper. Then, the triboelectric energy harvesting characteristics between polypropylene (PP) balls and the electrodes are measured. The M-TEG with the frame generates the energy harvesting signals up to ~100 V and ~2.5 ㎂ due to larger contact area and numbers, which enhances the voltage and current output by 250% and 610% compared to that without the frame, respectively. This study presents the feasibility of self-powered sensors and toys using improved triboelectric energy performance with a low-cost and simple manufacturing process in the interesting structure.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.205-215
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• 2019

A flexible polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite prototype with high piezoelectricity and force sensitivity was constructed, and its huge potential for applications such as biomechanical energy harvesting, self-powered health monitoring system, and pressure sensors was proved. The crystallization, piezoelectric, and electrical properties of the composites were characterized using an X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiment and customized experimental setups. The composite can sustain up to 100% strain, which is a huge improvement over monolithic PVDF fibers and other PVDF-based composites in the literature. The Young's modulus is 1.64 MPa, which is closely matched with the flexibility of the human skin, and shows the possibility for integrating PVDF/PDMS composites into wearable devices and implantable medical devices. The $300{\mu}m$ thick composite has a 14% volume fraction of PVDF fibers and produces high piezoelectricity with piezoelectric charge constants $d_{31}=19pC/N$ and $d_{33}=34pC/N$, and piezoelectric voltage constants $g_{31}=33.9mV/N$ and $g_{33}=61.2mV/N$. Under a 10 Hz actuation, the output voltage was measured at 190 mVpp, which is the largest output signal generated from a PVDF fiber-based prototype.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.218-227
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• 2022

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), a new green energy, that have various potential applications, such as energy harvesters and self-powered sensors. The output performance of TENGs has been improving rapidly, and their output power significantly increased since they were first reported owing to improved triboelectrification materials and interfacial material engineering. Because the operation of a TENG is based on contact electrification in which electric charges are exchanged at the interface between two materials, its output can be increased by increasing the contact area and charge density. Material surface modification with microstructures or nanostructures has increased the output performance of TENGs significantly because not only does the sharp micro/nano morphology increases the contact area during friction, but it also increases the charge density. Chemical treatment in which ions or functional groups are added has also been used to improve the performance of TENGS by modifying the work functions, charge densities, and dielectric constants of the triboelectric materials. In addition, ultrahigh output power from TENGs without using new materials or treatments has been obtained in many studies in which special structures were designed to control the current release or to collect the charge current directly. In this review, we discuss physical and chemical treatments, bulk modifications, and interfacial engineering for enhancing TENG performance by improving contact electrification and electrostatic induction.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.393-399
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• 2009

Historically, industrial condition monitoring has been performed by costly hard-wired sensors or infrequent checks by maintenance personnel equipped with hand held monitoring equipment. Self- powered wireless condition monitoring systems provides on-line monitoring of critical plant and machinery providing major operating cost benefits. A vibration energy harvester(VEH) is a device that converts kinetic energy occurred by machine vibration into useable electrical energy. Using VEHs to power wireless monitoring systems can yield significant benefits: increased reliability, lower life time costs and no battery disposal issues, etc. This paper proposes the novel prototype design and manufacturing of a VEH that can eliminate the effect by failed batteries.

• Journal of electromagnetic engineering and science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2008

Advances in low power design open the possibility to harvest energy from the environment to power electronic circuits. Electrical energy can be harvested from piezoelectric transducer. Piezoelectric materials can be used as mechanisms to transfer mechanical energy usually vibrating system into electrical energy that can be stored and used to power other devices. Micro- to milli-watts power can be generated from vibrating system. We developed definitive and analytical models to predict the power generated from a cantilever beam attached with piezoelectric transducer. Analytical models are pin-force method, enhanced pin-force method and Euler-Bernoulli method. Harmonic oscillations and random noise will be the two different forcing functions used to drive each system. It has been selected the best model for generating electric power based upon the analytical results obtained.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.508-514
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• 2022

Piezoelectric composite films which are enabled by inorganic piezoelectric nanomaterials-embedded polymer, have attracted enormous attention as a sustainable power source for low powered electronics, because of their ease of fabrication and flexible nature. However, the absorption of applied stress by the soft polymeric matrices is a major issue that must be solved to expand the fields of piezoelectric composite applications. Herein, a flexible and porous piezoelectric composite (piezoelectric sponge) comprised of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles and polydimethylsiloxane was developed using template method to enhance the energy conversion efficiency by minimizing the stress that vanishes into the polymer matrix. In the porous structure, effective stress transfer can occur between the piezoelectric active materials in compression mode due to direct contact between the ceramic particles embedded in the pore-polymer interface. The piezoelectric sponge with 30 wt% of BaTiO₃ particles generated an open-circuit voltage of ~12 V and a short-circuit current of ~150 nA. A finite element method-based simulation was conducted to theoretically back up that the piezoelectric output performance was effectively improved by introducing the sponge structure. Furthermore, to demonstrate the feasibility of pressure detecting applications using the BaTiO₃ particles-embedded piezoelectric sponge, the composite was arranged in a 3 × 3 array and integrated into a single pressure sensor. The fabricated sensor array successfully detected the shape of the applied pressure. This work can provide a cost-effective, biocompatible, and structural strategy for realizing piezoelectric composite-based energy harvesters and self-powered sensors with improved energy conversion efficiency.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.249-254
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• 2022

With the rapid advance of the semiconductor and Information and communication technologies, remote environment monitoring technology, which can detect and analyze surrounding environmental conditions with various types of sensors and wireless communication technologies, is also drawing attention. However, since the conventional remote environmental monitoring systems require external power supplies, it causes time and space limitations on comfortable usage. In this study, we proposed the concept of the self-powered remote environmental monitoring system by supplying the power with the levitation-electromagnetic generator (L-EMG), which is rationally designed to effectively harvest biomechanical energy in consideration of the mechanical characteristics of biomechanical energy. In this regard, the proposed L-EMG is designed to effectively respond to the external vibration with the movable center magnet considering the mechanical characteristics of the biomechanical energy, such as relatively low-frequency and high amplitude of vibration. Hence the L-EMG based on the fragile force equilibrium can generate high-quality electrical energy to supply power. Additionally, the environmental detective sensor and wireless transmission module are composed of the micro control unit (MCU) to minimize the required power for electronic device operation by applying the sleep mode, resulting in the extension of operation time. Finally, in order to maximize user convenience, a mobile phone application was built to enable easy monitoring of the surrounding environment. Thus, the proposed concept not only verifies the possibility of establishing the self-powered remote environmental monitoring system using biomechanical energy but further suggests a design guideline.