Advancements in Polymeric Piezoelectric Nanofiber for Energy Harvesting Applications: A Scoping Review

Abstract

This scoping review systematically explores recent advancements in polymeric piezoelectric nanofiber membranes for energy harvesting applications, with particular focus on the potential of multilayered piezoelectric structures to enhance energy efficiency. Following the PRISMA-ScR and Arksey & O’Malley frameworks, a structured search of Web of Science and ScienceDirect from 2018 to the present was conducted using predefined keywords, and eligible studies were screened and analyzed. After applying eligibility criteria, 35 studies with high piezoelectric output and effective designs were included in the review, of which only nine investigated multilayered piezoelectric structures. These studies demonstrated that stacked configurations, functional dopants, and innovative amplification designs significantly improved voltage and current outputs compared with single-layer systems. Among the multilayered approaches, six studies employed PVDF-based electrospun nanofibers, while three investigated hybrid designs incorporating piezoelectric ceramics. Although these multilayered designs showed considerable potential, challenges remain in terms of design complexity, scalability, long-term stability, and translation to real-world applications. Overall, this review highlights multilayered polymeric piezoelectric membranes as a promising strategy for sustainable energy harvesting, but also identifies critical gaps in the literature, particularly the limited number of studies on multilayered structures (six) and energy harvesting tower configurations (three), underscoring the need for further research to enable practical implementation.