A Flexible Electret Membrane with Persistent Electrostatic Effect and Resistance to Harsh Environment for Energy Harvesting

AbstractA novel flexible electret membrane, exhibiting persistent electrostatic effect, distinctive temperature stability and outstanding capability of resistance to harsh environment and fatigue, is demonstrated by experiment. Its excellent electret performance is correlated to the synergy of three factors, which are space charge injection, dipole orientation and interfacial polarization according to the analysis of charge storage mechanism. This electret membrane is provided with sandwich configuration PTFE/THV/PTFE, prepared by hot pressing method and thermal charging technology. After wiped its surface with alcohol, its surface potential declines to zero from −550 V, then recovers rapidly to −310 V and finally maintains constant for 800 hours, which shows that its electret performance distinctly precedes traditional electret material such as single PTFE, FEP electret membrane. The measurement of thermal stimulating potentials displays that its surface potential reaches maximum about 5 times initial value at 125 °C. A micro-vibration energy harvester is assembled with this membrane. Its maximum output power reaches 4.66 μW at tapping frequency 5 Hz and keeps stable during over 2000 tapping tests within 100 days, which indicates the long-life service and resistance to harsh environment and fatigue of this electret membrane.