Energy-Harvesting Performance in a LaYFe₂O₆/P(VDF-HFP) Nanocomposite by Boosting the Magnetoelectric Effect

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The present work reports an enhanced magnetoelectric (ME) effect at room temperature (RT) and above in a nanocomposite of LaYFe2O6/poly(vinylidene fluoride)–hexafluoropropylene [LaYFe2O6/P(VDF-HFP)], which is prepared by the solution-casting method. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reveal excellent phase-to-phase connectivity and an enhanced beta-phase fraction in the PVDF matrix by the incorporation of 10 wt % antiferromagnetic nanoparticles (NPs). This is also substantiated by the improved ferroelectric (electric-field-dependent polarization) response by a 10 wt % sample. At RT, this nanocomposite manifests a first-order ME coupling coefficient of ∼2.92 mV cm–1 Oe–1 and a second-order ME coupling coefficient of ∼0.051 μV cm–1 Oe–2 (significantly 1 order higher than that of pristine LaYFe2O6). The enhanced ME coefficient at RT and above makes it a viable candidate to address the challenges of ME-based device applications. A flexible, portable, lightweight, cost-effective magnetoelectric nanogenerator (MENG) fabricated from the nanocomposite film is able to harvest the wasted magnetic energy with an efficiency of 1.5%. As a demonstration, the harvested electric energy is stored in a capacitor, which, in turn, is used to power a light-emitting diode (LED). The present work hence suggests the deployment of this material for self-powered wearable devices.