abstract
- This work presents a miniaturized hybrid energy harvester integrating a microfluidic fuel cell (MFC) and a piezoelectric generator. The prototype is based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and is designed to store liquids while increasing the internal pressure to amplify the mechanical stress in the chamber in combination with a thin layer of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a piezoelectric material. This configuration enables multimodal energy harvesting, coupled to electrochemical and mechanical energy conversion through flow-induced mechanical deformation. PVDF film reaches 0.43 relative in the ß-phase and 56 mV (¿96.81 pW) peak in the working hybrid energy prototype. At the same time, bioelectrodes based on glucose oxidase enzyme were used, achieving an output power density of 1.85 ¿Wcm-2. A one-side FSI model was implemented to evaluate the flow and the mechanical response of PVDF in the hybrid fuel cell, allowing the system to be characterized as a function of the flow conditions in the MFC. Finally, the prototypes were fabricated using 3D-printing and soft lithography, demonstrating a scalable, low-cost approach to integrating multimodal energy harvesters. The results show the feasibility of multimodal energy harvesting in a compact platform and highlight the potential of hybrid systems for powering the next generation of portable bioelectronic devices. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.