Wearable piezoelectric device assembled by one-step continuous electrospinning

Abstract

A lightweight wearable piezoelectric membrane device with excellent flexibility and air breathability is assembled for the first time using a one step continuous electrospinning method. The piezoelectric membrane device displays a three-layer structure in which the PVDF nanofiber membrane is sandwiched between two PVDF–rGO electrode membranes. Since the whole piezoelectric device is prepared by electrospinning, both the active layer and electrode layer have high levels of electroactive β-phase crystallinity. The as-prepared device demonstrates high electric output. Open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current and power density can reach up to 46 V, 18 μA and 18.1 μW cm⁻², respectively. The electric output is remarkably affected by the frequency and magnitude of the exerted excitation force, specifically, the output demonstrates a linear relationship with the excitation force. Moreover, the piezoelectric membrane device demonstrates a long working stability of over 50 000 cycles and is capable of lighting LEDs directly.