THE NEED

The need for electrical power supply to remote installations

without the use of diesel generating set or without installing
power transmission line has attracted interest on piezoelectric
energy harvesting

Installation of power transmission line in inhospitable terrain

and its maintenance are costly.
Use of DG set produces sound signature, which can be easily
picked up by the enemy in case of defense installation.
It also produces pollution, which is not to the liking of
astrophysicists. Piezoelectric power generators overcome all
these problems.
 PIEZOELECTRIC EFFECT
Appearance of an electric potential across certain faces
of a crystal when it is subjected to mechanical pressure
The word originates from the greek word “piezein”, which
means “to press”
Discovered in 1880 by Pierre Curie in quartz crystals.
Conversely, when an electric field is applied to one of
the faces of the crystal it undergoes mechanical
distortion.
Examples --- Quartz, Barium titanate, tourmaline
 INTERNAL WORKING
The effect is explained by the displacement of
ions in crystals that have a non-symmetrical unit
cell
 When the crystal is compressed, the ions in
each unit cell are displaced, causing the electric
polarization of the unit cell.
Because of the regularity of crystalline structure,
these effects accumulate, causing the
appearance of an electric potential difference
between certain faces of the crystal.
PIEZOELECTRICITY
 displacement of electrical
charge due to the
deflection of the lattice in a
naturally piezoelectric
quartz crystal
 The larger circles represent
silicon atoms, while the
smaller ones represent
oxygen.
 Quartz crystals is one of
the most stable
piezoelectric materials.
ARTIFICIAL ELECTRICITY
polycrystalline, piezoceramics are man made
materials which are forced to become
piezoelectric by applying large electric field.
high charge sensitivity materials available which
operate at 1000 F (540 C)
characteristics vary with temperature
CONFIGURATIONS
 Red -> crystal
 Arrows -> direction of
applied force
 the compression
design features high
rigidity
 implemented in high
frequency pressure and
force sensors
 PVDF
In 1961 polyvinylidene fluoride, a piezoelectric plastic
was invented. It is one of the most widely used
piezopolymer from which substantial electricity can be
generated. It is cheap and physically quite strong.
In 2001 researchers found that PVDF becomes
supersensitive to pressure when impregnated with
very small quantity of nanotubes
PVDF with its inherent superior mechanical properties
when upgraded with nano-technology produces a new
generation of piezopolymer, which are durable and
can generate large quantity of electricity economically
 PVDF IS AMAZING
PVDF has best properties in its class.
 most widely studied and commercially used piezoelectric
polymer.
PVDF has been commercially available since 1965.
Substantial piezoelectricity can be permanently induced
by heating stretched films of PVDF to about 1000C
followed by cooling to ambient temperature with a strong
DC electric field
The effect in PVDF is totally different in sense the induced
polarization is thermally reversible
polarizations current are, produced on either heating or
cooling.
 PROS AND CONS
Have a high Stiffness
value and produce a high
output with very little
strain.
Ideal for rugged use.
Excellent linearity over a
wide amplitude.
Ideal for continuous online
condition monitoring smart
systems.
Can be used only for
dynamic pressure sensing
as in case of static
sensing the signals will
decay away.
Operation over long
cables may affect
frequency response and
introduce noise and
distortion, the cables need
to be protected.
 MY IDEA !
Every person should
have a piezoelectric
crystal below his/her
feet
The electricity
generated can be
used to charge
mobile batteries
IDEA OF MASS APPLICATION
PVDF can be laid
down on footpaths
and rail tracks to
harvest “pressure”
of our population on
this planet.
 MY IDEA CONT…
The new voltage regulation circuits developed at
BIT, Mesra can convert the piezoelectric charge into
a usable voltage and combined with the polymer
transducer give a time-averaged power of 2
milliwatts per shoe on an average walk

This is equal to power required for running sensors

and GPS receivers and even i-pods and mobile
phones .
MY IDEA CONT…
These footpaths, someday
may have kilometers of
piezo-electric crystals,
most probably PVDF,below
them.
This harvested energy can
be used to illuminate roads
n streets.
 CREDITS..
Actually this idea clicked simultaneously in two brains
in September 2007 at Ranchi. The second person is
my friend Neel Kamal (my room-mate then) who is now
at BIT, Mesra.
At BIT, Mesra,Neel Kamal with his team has developed
an innovative piezoelectric generator prototype small
enough to be embedded in the sole of a shoe that's
designed to produce enough power to operate a cell
phone.
The raw material for PVDF is abundant in our country,
mostly in jharkhand. This is another plus point for BIT
Mesra to take this project at large scale.
FUTURE
It will be interesting to see if this
innovation pays off !
 Will shoes of the future be capable
of charging mobile devices!!
Will our footsteps power the streets
& buildings we walk through !!!