Energy harvesting from fluids using ionic polymer metal composites

In this chapter, we discuss energy harvesting from steady, oscillatory, and unsteady water flows using ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs). After a brief description of this new class of active materials and their ability to transduce strain energy into electrical form, we present three case studies spanning this range of flow environments. First, we examine energy harvesting from a heavy flapping flag hosting IPMCs in a steady flow water channel; second, we consider base excitation of a cantilevered IPMC to simulate the effect of an oscillatory flow; and finally, we investigate the impact of a vortex ring with an IPMC. Analytical insight on the mechanics of the coupled fluid-structure problem is used to interpret experimental results and provide design guidelines for energy harvesters based on active compliant materials in fluids.