MATFLEXEND – MATerials for FLEXible ENergy harvesting Devices

MATFLEXEND investigates new materials which enable capacitive-mechanical energy harvesters with significantly improved power density and efficiency. Such materials will be durable, solution-processible, flexible, and therefore enable mass-production techniques including printing.

A completely new variant of variable capacitor electrodes based on electrically conducting elastomers will be investigated which will lead to lightweight, low-maintenance, low cost electrical generators. High-k nano-doped polymer dielectrics will be developed with high breakdown voltage and low leakage.

A new secondary battery architecture will be used, involving a novel polyHIPE/electrolyte element including RTILs, and novel nano-fibre composite electrodes, resulting in reconfigurable secondary lithium ion battery storage elements with higher temperature stability. High surface area 3D electrodes will be developed by EPD (electrophoretical deposition) to achieve the rate capability of micro batteries required in sensor nodes.

Synergistically battery and harvester can use the same substrate, current collectors and hermetic encapsulation technology. At the same time these harvester/storage arrays can be structured into parallel and serial networks, to meet a variety of power and storage needs.

Low cost harvesters are the key to consumer applications such as wearable electronics and smartcards as well as wireless sensors in a variety of application areas like medical/healthcare, sports and automotive. Demonstrations developed in the project include wearable applications and chip cards.