Virginia Commonwealth University VCU Scholars Compass Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2016 POWER MAXIMIZATION FOR PYROELECTRIC, PIEZOELECTRIC, AND HYBRID ENERGY HARVESTING Murtadha A. Shaheen Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd Part of the Acoustics, Dynamics, and Controls Commons, Ceramic Materials Commons, Electro- Mechanical Systems Commons, Energy Systems Commons, and the Polymer and Organic Materials Commons © The Author Downloaded from https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/4462 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. POWER MAXIMIZATION FOR PYROELECTRIC, PIEZOELECTRIC, AND HYBRID ENERGY HARVESTING A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University By Murtadha A. Shaheen Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Basrah University, Basrah, Iraq, 2004 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Basrah University, Basrah, Iraq, 2000 Director: Karla Mossi, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering School of Engineering Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia August, 2016 Acknowledgement I would like to thank some people who have helped tremendously during this process, for all of whom I am deeply grateful. My loving parents, my wife Nahwa, and my kids, Narjis, Mohammed Baqir, Sumana, and Rayhana have been there to celebrate my establishments and to encourage me emotionally during difficult times. My advisor Dr. K. Mossi has made this big accomplishment possible with her generous and scientific support.