Professional Doctorate Engineering in Energy and Process Technology at University of Twente

Currently, piezo-electric materials which generate electricity with mechanical strain, are drawing attention as energy-harvesting materials in tyres. Major piezoelectric materials are ceramics and polymers, but they have some deficits which prevent them from wide prevalence.
Piezo-electric ceramics are used for restricted purposes because of their fragility and heavy weight, although they generate relatively high electricity. On the other hand, piezoelectric polymers generate very slight electricity although they achieve flexibility by reducing the thickness.
Goal and prototype deliverable of the project: the goal of this assignment is to develop an energy-generating rubber compound that is flexible and durable enough to withstand all the forces that are acting on the material during the lifetime of a tyre. The energy output should be sufficient to power several sensors in a tyre.
The deliverable should be a prototype tyre with the newly developed compound and is generating sufficient amount of energy to power a TPMS sensor during deformation.

Deadline Application: 30-04-2017

Further details:
Professional Doctorate Engineering in Energy and Process Technology at University of Twente