Hybridizing CNT/PMMA/PVDF towards high-performance piezoelectric nanofibers

Abstract

Piezoelectric nanofibers are of great importance in their potential applications as smart fibers and textiles to bring changes to daily lives. By employing the technique of electrospinning, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibers modified with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and single-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (referred to as CNT/PMMA/PVDF) are prepared. The electric field induced displacement of the as-prepared nanofibers is characterized by piezoresponse force microscopy. Compared with the pure PVDF nanofibers, the CNT/PMMA/PVDF nanofibers exhibit a great enhancement of about 196% for the electric field induced displacement, while increments of about 104% and 78% are obtained for the PMMA/PVDF and CNT/PVDF nanofibers, respectively. A structural analysis indicates that the hydrogen bonding between the O atom in the carbonyl group of PMMA and the hydrogen atom in the CH2 groups of PVDF, the promotion of the nucleation of crystallites by CNTs, work synergistically to produce the high electroactive response of the CNT/PMMA/PVDF nanofibers. Based on the high-performance nanofibers, a prototype of a flexible nanofiber generator is fabricated, which exhibits a typical electrical output of 3.11 V upon a repeated impact-release loading at a frequency of 50 Hz.

Bioinspired Multiresonant Acoustic Devices Based on Electrospun Piezoelectric Polymeric Nanofibers

“…Despite the additional factors not related to ferroelectricity that can influence the PFM response, , the present results may confirm that the electrospun P­(VDF-TrFE) fibers are ferroelectric (and therefore piezoelectric), and their polarization can be locally enhanced and reversed by external applied voltages of appropriate magnitude. The PFM loops generated resemble those reported in various previous studies on PVDF-based fibers, − adding confidence about the ferroelectric nature of the electrospun membranes here fabricated.…”

Integration of PDA Chemistry and Surface‐Initiated ATRP to Prepare Poly(methyl methacrylate)‐Grafted Carbon Nanotubes and Its Effect on Poly(vinylidene fluoride)–Carbon Nanotube Composite Properties

“…In these phases, the β‐ and γ‐phases are the most electrically active due to the high dipole moment within the unit cell. Therefore, promoting the formation of β‐ and γ‐phases in PVDF‐based composites has become an ongoing pursuit due to their extensive applications in sensors and actuators . For example, Dias et al used an ionic liquid (IL) to compound with PVDF and its copolymers.…”

“…Consequently, the ionic liquid‐polymer composite with high electroactive phase exhibited excellent bending response and showed potential as a bending actuator application . Li et al found that the synergistic effect of PMMA and CNTs made PVDF‐based composites have a highly electroactive response, and the resulting CNT/PMMA/PVDF nanofibers showed potential applications as generators . However, in most cases, it is difficult to identify the β‐ and γ‐phases of PVDF due to the similarity of their specific TTT conformations.…”

Energy Harvesting Technologies for Structural Health Monitoring of Airplane Components—A Review

“…In other recent studies, alternative possibilities to enhance the harvesting efficiency of PVDF-based PEHs, based on advances in the nanotechnologies, are thus investigated. Using electrospinning to obtain PVDF nanofibers, modified with PMMA and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SW CNT), permit thus attaining a high porosity (lightweight) structure allowing, at an excitation frequency of 50 Hz, an electrical output of 3.11 V (four times larger than that of an equivalent structure in PVDF alone) [ 134 ]. On the other hand, a promising concept could also be the employment of a PVDF composite foam obtained via a physical foaming agent and using a multiwalled (MW) CNT piezo-active crystalline phase, resulting, for a 1.5 wt.…”