We utilize classical molecular dynamics to study surface effects on the piezoelectric properties of ZnO nanowires as calculated under uniaxial loading. An important point to our work is that we have utilized two types of surface treatments, those of charge compensation and surface passivation, to eliminate the polarization divergence that otherwise occurs due to the polar (0001) surfaces of ZnO...

We present results of a density functional theory study of MnO in the wurtzite structure. Our motivation is provided by recent experiments reporting ferromagnetism in Mn-doped wurtzite-structure ZnO. We find that wurtzite MnO a) is not strongly energetically disfavored compared with the ground state rocksalt MnO, b) shows strong magneto-structural coupling and c) has a piezoelectric response th...

Biomaterials are used as model systems for the deposition of functional inorganic materials under mild reaction conditions where organic templates direct the deposition process. In this study, this principle was adapted for the formation of piezoelectric ZnO thin films. The influence of two different organic templates (namely, a carboxylate-terminated self-assembled monolayer and a sulfonate-te...

Direct current (DC) piezoelectric power generator is promising for the miniaturization of a power package and self-powering of nanorobots and body-implanted devices. Hence, we report the first use of two-dimensional (2D) zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructure and an anionic nanoclay layer to generate piezoelectric DC output power. The device, made from 2D nanosheets and an anionic nanoclay layer hetero...

We report the piezoelectric properties of ZnO nanowires (NWs) obtained by using a nanoindenter with a conductive boron-doped diamond tip. The direct piezoelectric effect was measured by performing nanoindentations under load control, and the generated piezoelectric voltage was characterized as a function of the applied loads in the range 0.2-6 mN. The converse piezoelectric effect was measured ...

This paper numerically estimates the potential, the output power and the energy conversion efficiency of piezoelectric nanostructures, including rectangular nanowires NWs , hexagonal NWs, and two-dimensional vertical thin films the nanofins . Static analysis studies the maximum piezoelectric potential that can be produced by a BaTiO3 NW, a ZnO NW, and a ZnO nanofin when they are subjected to a ...

This paper presents the experimental observation of piezoelectric generation from a single ZnO wire/belt for illustrating a fundamental process of converting mechanical energy into electricity at nanoscale. By deflecting a wire/belt using a conductive atomic force microscope tip in contact mode, the energy is first created by the deflection force and stored by piezoelectric potential, and later...

A square piezoelectric composite diaphragm was analyzed by the finite element method to enhance the sensitivity of a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasound transducer (pMUT). The structures of electrode and piezoelectric film were optimized and a centric electrode was designed to avoid the counteraction of stress in the centre and edges. In order to further improve the sensitivity; a pMUT with ...

Aim of this research is the vibration analysis and control of rotating composite thin-walled beam containing distributed piezoelectric sensors and actuators. The formulation is based on thin-walled, single cell composite beam including the warping function, centrifugal force, Coriolis acceleration and piezoelectric effect. Adaptive capability of thin-walled beam is obtained by PVDF sensor and p...

Enhancing the output power of a nanogenerator is essential in applications as a sustainable power source for wireless sensors and microelectronics. We report here a novel approach that greatly enhances piezoelectric power generation by introducing a p-type polymer layer on a piezoelectric semiconducting thin film. Holes at the film surface greatly reduce the piezoelectric potential screening ef...