A multi-layered polydimethylsiloxane structure for application in low-excitation, broadband and low frequency energy harvesting

Vibrational kinetic energy is a promising energy source that can be harvested due to its abundance in daily life, especially from human motion. This low frequency vibration poses a challenge in achieving a small device that is practical and wearable. Further, the effective energy harvesting of a linear structure is very limited to a narrow range of frequencies around the resonance. These two limitations call for the development of wide bandwidth energy harvesters that can work at a wider low frequency range. Using low Young's modulus material is a common technique to achieve a low resonant frequency energy harvester. Nonlinear bistability is a potential solution for bandwidth broadening. In this paper, a broadband low frequency vibrational energy harvester using multi-layered soft polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) will be presented. First, a multi-layered PDMS structure was created by sandwiching a thicker PDMS with two thinner pre-stressed PDMS films. After releasing the prestresses, the multi-layered PDMS structure can settle into two cylindrical configurations. An analytical model that can predict the shapes of this multi-layered structure has been developed using classical lamination theory along with Rayleigh-Ritz approximation technique. Through this model, PDMS shapes can be easily predicted by changing various parameters such as the ratio of side length to thickness, prestrain levels, and Young's modulus. A multi-layered PDMS structure has been further proposed to be used as a bistable energy harvester. The soft PDMS allows working frequencies of lower than 15 Hz. The dynamic response of this harvester under small input excitation shows a softening spring system, before the strong nonlinear 'snap through' effect occurs. This softening spring system is able to broaden the bandwidth of the energy harvesting device. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.