Editing Pyroelectricity (section)

=== Energy Harvesting and Power Generation ===
A pyroelectric can be repeatedly heated and cooled (analogously to a [[heat engine]]) to generate usable electrical power. An example of a  heat engine is the movement of the pistons in an internal combustion engine like that found in a gasoline powered automobile.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Heat engine - Energy Education |url=https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Heat_engine#:~:text=Internal%20combustion%20engine,-full%20article&text=Internal%20combustion%20engines%20are%20the,is%20then%20emitted%20as%20exhaust. |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=energyeducation.ca |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

One group calculated that a pyroelectric in an [[Ericsson cycle]] could reach 50% of [[Carnot efficiency]],<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Sebald | first1 = Gael | last2 = Pruvost | first2 = Sebastien | last3 = Guyomar | first3 = Daniel | title = Energy harvesting based on Ericsson pyroelectric cycles in a relaxor ferroelectric ceramic | journal = Smart Materials and Structures | volume = 17 | issue = 1 | pages = 015012 | year = 2008 | doi = 10.1088/0964-1726/17/01/015012 |bibcode = 2008SMaS...17a5012S | s2cid = 108894876 |url=http://www.ikhebeenvraag.be/mediastorage/FSDocument/135/Pyroelectric+energy+harvesting.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Sebald | first1 = Gael | last2 = Guyomar | first2 = Daniel | last3 = Agbossou | first3 = Amen | title = On thermoelectric and pyroelectric energy harvesting | journal = Smart Materials and Structures | volume = 18 | issue = 12 | pages = 125006 | year = 2009 | doi = 10.1088/0964-1726/18/12/125006 |bibcode = 2009SMaS...18l5006S | s2cid = 53378208 }}</ref> while a different study found a material that could, in theory, reach 84-92% of Carnot efficiency<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Olsen | first1 = Randall B. | last2 = Evans | first2 = Diane | title = Pyroelectric energy conversion: Hysteresis loss and temperature sensitivity of a ferroelectric material | journal = Journal of Applied Physics | volume = 54 | issue = 10 | pages = 5941–5944 | year = 1983 | doi = 10.1063/1.331769|bibcode = 1983JAP....54.5941O }}</ref> (these efficiency values are for the pyroelectric itself, ignoring losses from heating and cooling the [[thin film|substrate]], other heat-transfer losses, and all other losses elsewhere in the system)

Possible advantages of pyroelectric generators for generating electricity (as compared to the conventional [[heat engine]] plus [[electrical generator]]) include:

* Harvesting energy from waste-heat:<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pandya |first1=Shishir |last2=Velarde |first2=Gabriel |last3=Zhang |first3=Lei |last4=Wilbur |first4=Joshua D. |last5=Smith |first5=Andrew |last6=Hanrahan |first6=Brendan |last7=Dames |first7=Chris |last8=Martin |first8=Lane W. |date=2019-06-07 |title=New approach to waste-heat energy harvesting: pyroelectric energy conversion |journal=NPG Asia Materials |language=en |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=1–5 |doi=10.1038/s41427-019-0125-y |issn=1884-4057|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Mondal |first1=Rajib |last2=Hasan |first2=Md Al Mahadi |last3=Baik |first3=Jeong Min |last4=Yang |first4=Ya |date=2023-06-01 |title=Advanced pyroelectric materials for energy harvesting and sensing applications |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1369702123000858 |journal=Materials Today |volume=66 |pages=273–301 |doi=10.1016/j.mattod.2023.03.023 |issn=1369-7021}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
** '''Waste Heat Recovery''': Harvesting low-grade thermal energy from industrial processes, automotive systems, and electrical appliances using lead-based ceramics (e.g., PZT, PMN-PT), lead-free ceramics (e.g., BNT-BT, KNN), and polymers (e.g., PVDF-TrFE). The Olsen cycle is a prominent thermodynamic method for efficient energy conversion.
* Less bulky equipment:<ref name=":0" />
** '''Flexible and Wearable Devices''': Flexible polymers (e.g., PVDF) and composites power wearable/implantable electronics by leveraging body heat or ambient temperature changes. Examples include self-powered sensors and nanogenerators producing μW to mW/cm<sup>3</sup> power densities.
* Fewer moving parts.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Kouchachvili | first1 = L | last2 = Ikura | first2 = M | title = Pyroelectric conversion—Effects of P(VDF–TrFE) preconditioning on power conversion | journal = Journal of Electrostatics | volume = 65 | issue = 3 | pages = 182–188 | year = 2007 | doi = 10.1016/j.elstat.2006.07.014}}</ref>

Although a few patents have been filed for such a device,<ref>For example: [http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4647836.html US Patent 4647836], [http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6528898.html US Patent 6528898], [http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5644184.html US Patent 5644184]</ref> such generators do not appear to be anywhere close to commercialization.