Building a Piezoelectric Generator

Joshua Jang
Block 1-1
Jan 2025
David Thompson Secondary
Grade 8

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Abstract:
This experiment was conducted because of two main reasons, the minor
inconvenience of running out of phone charge while far away from home, and
emergency situations, such as getting lost in a forest with no sign of civilization, and
a dead phone. The purpose of this experiment and innovation is to create a
sustainable, long lasting, comfortable way of generating energy from mechanical
stress. A piezoelectric generator was created in this experiment to test whether a
infinite, self-sustainable source of electricity would at some point surpass a
commercially available, 2000 mAh portable charger. If the stated hypothesis is
correct, then the piezoelectric charger should be mathematically limitless, since
the amount of time it would take the complete 5.5 volts(2000 mAh) would be very
great. The procedure to create this charger is not too easy, but doable.

Cut Materials: Cut a 10 cm x 5.5 cm flat piece and four circles matching the
buzzers' circumference.

Diodes: Twist and weld four diodes into a 1 cm square. Remove excess material.
Repeat (X2).

Buzzers: Solder wires of four buzzers together (X2). Only the top should have diodes.

Resistor and Switch: Weld a resistor between the rocker switch and LED. Ensure
the USB port is the default output, activating both mechanisms when the switch is
flipped.

Battery: Solder battery socket wires to the USB port (battery in socket).

LEDs: Bend LEDs into "L" shapes, weld together, attach wire to the highest LED, and
connect the red wire to the resistor.

Assembly: Place buzzers under the sole and attach the battery and switch to the
inner shoe side.

It was found that the charger was indeed infinite and would surpass the portable
charger’s output in 966 hours of consistent walking.

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Contents:
Abstract: ...................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction: ................................................................................................................. 2
Background Information: .............................................................................................. 3
PART 1: Building the Charger ......................................................................................... 3
Materials: .................................................................................................................... 3
Procedure:................................................................................................................... 5
Data & Observations: ................................................................................................... 8
................................................................................................................................. 11
Part 2: Experimenting ................................................................................................. 11
Materials: .................................................................................................................. 12
Procedure:................................................................................................................. 12
Data and Observations: .............................................................................................. 12
Analysis: .................................................................................................................... 13
Conclusion: ............................................................................................................... 14
Sources of Error: ........................................................................................................ 14
Acknowledgements: ................................................................................................... 14
Citations: .................................................................................................................. 14

Introduction:
In this age, people are highly reliant on their smart devices, and one problem many people
encounter is the supply of electricity that can be stored in these devices. Since portable
chargers run out eventually, outlet charging can only be done near a large supply of energy.
This experiment will try to reuse the mechanical energy produced by traveling by foot to
create a renewable, piezoelectricity reliant, and environmentally friendly source of
electricity.

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Background Information:
Piezoelectricity pronounced (Pee-ay-zo-electricity) can be directly translated to “Pressing
Electricity” from Greek. And its concept is a direct example of its name. Piezoelectricity is
the generation of electrical voltage across a crystal, such as quartz, when it is subjected to
mechanical stress, effectively turning it into a tiny battery. Conversely, applying a voltage
to the crystal causes it to deform or vibrate, demonstrating the reverse piezoelectric effect.
A crystal is a solid with atoms or molecules arranged in a repeating, orderly pattern, where
piezoelectric crystals differ by lacking symmetrical unit cells. When mechanically
stressed, these crystals become electrically charged due to an imbalance in their atomic
structure, and the reverse effect occurs when applied voltage causes the crystal to deform
to restore balance.

PART 1: Building the Charger

Purpose: To create a contraption to infinitely charge a phone.

Materials:
(More uncommonly known items have been provided with a photo)

-8 piezoelectric buzzers

-8 diodes

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-1 18650 rechargeable lithium-ion battery (3.7 volts, 3300mAh)

-1 USB charging port

- 4 light emitting diodes (LED)

- 1 shoe (Module installed on one shoe)

- 1 Soldering iron
- 1 coil of red wire
-1 coil of black wire
- 1 anemometer
- appropriate flat material
-1 box cutter

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-1 Battery Socket

- One coil of solder (Around 20cm)

-One 200Ω resistor

-8 thin foam cushions (Corrected in sources of error)

-1 hot glue gun

Procedure:
1. Cut a 10 cm by 5.5 cm piece of flat material, and four circles that match the
circumference of the buzzers. (The end result should look somewhat like the image
below)

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2. Twist and weld four diodes into a square shape, the outcome should look like the picture
below. After twisting the diodes together, cut off the excess material. The combination of
four diodes used in this experiment had a side length of exactly 1 cm. The completed
diodes should somewhat resemble the picture below. (X2)

3. weld the wires of four buzzers together (X2) (Only the top should have diodes)

4. Weld the resistor between the rocker switch and LED (When the project is finished the
default output of the electricity should be the USB port, and when the switch is activated
both mechanisms should be active simultaneously) Continuously, weld the battery socket
wires to the USB charging port (battery should already be in socket) See image below.

5. Bend four LEDs so that the wires form an “L” shape. Weld LEDs together and add wire
to the highest LED. Solder red (positive) wire to resistor

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6. insert part with buzzers under the sole of the shoe.

7. Attach the part with the battery and rocker switch to the inner side of the shoe.

8. Testing Time!

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Data & Observations:

Figure #1
In this figure the wires connecting the buzzers are disconnected and
need to be soldered. The top is the top part of the main electricity
producer. The red wires represent the positive and black wires are
negative. The black figures at the top are diodes that force the electricity
produced by the piezoelectric material.

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Figure #2
This figure shows that one piezoelectric buzzer
alone produces 00.28 V with a concentrated,
strong push. The voltage produced here is highly
differential to the unconcentrated force.

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Figure #3

This figure shows the voltage of a more diluted,

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Figure #4 This is what the final product should look like (Disregarding the design or brand of
the shoe)

Part 2: Experimenting
Lab Question: Will an infinite phone charger surpass the performance and outlast a
commercially available portable phone charger?
Hypothesis: If the infinite charger consistently and truly infinitely charges, then it will eventually
surpass a regular portable charger.
Hypothesis 2: If the infinite charger is not infinite and consistent, it will fall short of a regular
portable charger.
Purpose: To compare project with commercially available 2000 mAh portable charger.

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Materials:
- 1 fully functional human being
- 1 shoe with the charging module attached (everything in part one)
- 1 anemometer

Procedure:
1. Put the shoe with electric components on one foot, and (preferably the other shoe
from that pair) put another shoe on the opposite foot.
2. Take anemometer, and press prongs onto both sides of battery socket, write the
voltage down.
3. Walk for desired amount of time and measure the battery’s voltage again. (Make
sure to dial it to 1.5 V)
4. Compare to desired portable charger. (Predictions and calculations would be
required) see “Analysis” for calculation instructions.

Data and Observations:

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In this graph, the electricity spent is assumed to be equal all the way through the usage. So
therefore, the 2000 mAh portable charger expends after discharging 5.5 volts.

Analysis:
To predict future electrical production, use this formula: N=Your time walking in hours.
Volts produced ×N × The time the charging would stop

For example, if 1 volt was produced in one hour, 1×1 would be 1, and the graph being
created has five hours, 5 × 1 would be 5, and that would mean that five volts were
produced in five hours.

Amount, distribution, and speed are major factors in the amount of energy produced in the
process of piezoelectricity. The softness of the material used to make the base of the
buzzers and the ground is also a great factor in the energy produced.

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Conclusion:
The purpose of this innovation and experiment was to create an infinite source of
electricity, and to compare it to a commercially available 2000 mAh portable charger. In
conclusion, the project produces 0.006 volts per hour of consistent walking. The
hypothesis stated was correct, since the piezoelectric generator not quite faster, but
would eventually overtake the portable charger in terms of volts produced. A huge
limitation to the amount of components on the shoe, was the fact that installing something
on a shoe has to be with a precise balance between comfort and performance. If this
experiment was repeated, it would be ideal to add another 8 piezoelectric buzzers to the
area where the balls of the feet lay inside the shoe. This experiment shows that there is a
way to conveniently create an infinite source of electricity, and to prevent people from
going outside because they have not charged their electrical devices.

Sources of Error:
- The base of the piezoelectric buzzers was too soft, therefore, the mechanical stress on
the buzzers was lessened. (This problem was fixed before Data and Observations 2)

-The wire connecting the battery and buzzers broke in the middle of the experiment,
therefore the results were delayed

Acknowledgements:

A great thanks to the creator’s dad for helping the creator handle dangerous items, such as
refilling the soldering iron with butane gas, Ms. Leong, for guiding him through everything,
and a great, huge thank you, to the peers and friends who taught the creator what to do
even when it was past midnight.

Citations:
How Much Battery Is In A Portable Charger? MAh, Capacity, And Efficiency Explained
[Updated On- January, 2025]

Piezoelectricity - How does it work? | What is it used for? Last updated: May 21, 2022,by
Chris Woodford

How to Dim an LED Light Quality | DigiKey Last updated: 2016, Oct. 11, b: n/a

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How Long Can 2000mAH Last? A Comprehensive Analysis April 2024 by John Elmore

The Secret Behind Piezoelectricity: How Pressure Generates Electricity Last updated. 31
2024, By Hoor Khan

Piezoelectric generator | How it works, Application & Advantages Last updated: N/A By:
N/A

Resistors: Working and how to use in circuits - Gadgetronicx Last updated: Apr. 12 2019,
By: Frank Donald
How To Connect Usb Port To Battery? (Expert Answers) - TechReviewTeam Last updated:
Jan. 15 2023 By John Chad

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