This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
,
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Karadeniz Technical University , Trabzon , Turkey
Metallurgical and Materails Engineering, Graduate School, Istanbul Technical University , Istanbul , Turkey
Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a semicrystalline polymer whose piezoelectric performance is maximized in its polar β-phase. In this study, nano-structured PVDF matrix composites incorporating ceramic fillers were fabricated and evaluated as potential sensor materials. The PVDF used in this work was recovered from machining waste of high-performance engineering polymer rods, demonstrating an upcycling approach to transform industrial polymer waste into advanced functional materials. Strontium titanate (SrTiO₃) and nickel ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) nanoparticles were synthesized and added to PVDF to investigate their effects on phase composition and piezoelectric properties. Composites were prepared by dissolving PVDF in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and inducing polymer crystallization through non-solvent precipitation at controlled temperatures. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to characterize the crystalline phases and morphology. Low processing temperature (0 °C) and high PVDF concentration in solution promoted the formation of the electroactive β-phase while suppressing the non-polar α-phase. No α-phase peaks were observed in samples precipitated at 0 °C, indicating predominantly β-phase PVDF. Incorporating NiFe₂O₄ at 20% by weight significantly increased β-phase content and improved the material’s expected piezoelectric response, whereas SrTiO₃ had no clear positive effect on β-phase formation. The optimized PVDF composites—with high β-phase content achieved via controlled crystallization and strategic nanoparticle addition—demonstrate enhanced piezoelectric characteristics.
Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF), β-phase Formation, Nickel Ferrite (NiFe₂O₄), Strontium Titanate (SrTiO₃)
The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). We stay neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
