Factors influencing energy harvesting

This section of the chapter concentrates on factors that can significantly influence the physical properties of fabricated nanocomposites and their energy-harvesting performance. Filler properties such as concentralion and matrix properties together with the nanocomposite preparation route are important factors that should be considered when fabricating such materials. 

The first factor that considerably influences the energy-harvesting properties is filler size. Several studies have suggested that the smaller particle sizes, usually on the nanoscale level, are responsible for an enhancement in energy-harvesting performance in 

The next factor is the filler content in the nanocomposite. Nanosized particles provide materials with percolation thresholds at lower filler fractions than those consisting of microsized particles (Putson et al., 2011). The optimal mechanical properties for energy harvesting were obtained for samples with lower filler contents (Wu et al., 2014). The most ideal energy-harvesting properties were obtained when the content of GO or MWCNT particles was 0.05 or 0.1 wt%, respectively, because these concentrations significantly influence the P-crystalline phase of the PVDF matrix. 

When the P-crystalline phase is improved because of the addition of nanoscaled particles, the energy-harvesting behavior exhibits a synergic effect from both factors. Increased P-crystalline phase and the addition of nanoparticles embedded in the polymer strucmre provide increased amounts of charges in the system. 

Energy harvesting can be used from mechanical energy such as low-level vibrations and movements such as motion of the human body, motor acoustic waves, or automobiles (Kong et al., 2014). Dissipated energy can be achieved by transducers used from wind, ocean waves, or floors to capture energy. Piezoelectric nanocomposites and nanostmctures are widely used in these nanosystems. 

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The intake of ruminants in their natural habitat (i.e. at pasture) is influenced not only by the chemical composition and digestibility (or rate of digestion) of the pasture herbage but also by its physical structure and distribution. The grazing animal has to be able to harvest sufficient herbage to meet its needs without imdue expenditure of energy. Its intake is determined by three factors bite size (the quantity of dry matter harvested at each bite), bite rate (number of bites per minute) and grazing... 

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