Nonlinear electromechanical coupling dynamics of a two-degree-of-freedom hybrid energy harvester

doi:10.1007/s10483-025-3264-7

Abstract

Abstract:

Vibration energy harvesting presents a significant opportunity for powering wireless sensor networks and internet of things (IoT) devices, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional battery-based power sources. However, environmental vibrations are predominantly low-frequency, which presents a significant challenge to the efficient conversion of such energy. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a novel two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) energy harvester. The first layer of the harvester incorporates a piezoelectric composite beam (PCB) paired with permanent magnets to form a negative stiffness mechanism (NSM), which counteracts the stiffness of linear springs, thereby achieving quasi-zero stiffness (QZS) or bistable characteristics. The second layer integrates piezoelectric transduction units with triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) units to further enhance the efficiency of low-frequency vibration energy conversion. By considering the modal characteristics of the PCB, this paper establishes the electromechanical coupling equations of the harvester from an energy perspective. The mechanical responses of the masses in both layers, as well as the electrical outputs of the PCB, are analytically solved. Furthermore, the effects of the system parameters on the efficiency of low-frequency vibration energy harvesting are thoroughly analyzed. This work provides a theoretical foundation for the development of self-powered IoT sensor nodes, enabling efficient energy harvesting from ambient low-frequency vibrations.

Key words: energy harvesting, quasi-zero stiffness (QZS), low frequency, piezoelectric beam, triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG)

2010 MSC Number:

O322

Tingting CHEN, Kai WANG, Shengchao CHEN, Ziyu XU, Zhe LI, Jiaxi ZHOU. Nonlinear electromechanical coupling dynamics of a two-degree-of-freedom hybrid energy harvester. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (English Edition), 2025, 46(6): 989-1010.

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Figures/Tables 5

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References 47

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