Processing-Enhanced β-Phase Formation in BaTiO₃/PVDF Composite Fibers with High Electroactive Phase Content

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Flexible piezoelectric fibers are key for next-generation wearable electronics.
• Barium titanate (BaTiO3)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composites offer desirable lightweight and flexible properties.
• Enhancing the electroactive phase content is critical for improved electromechanical response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare BaTiO3/PVDF composite fibers via melt spinning and thermal drawing.
• To systematically investigate the effects of processing parameters on fiber crystallinity and phase transformation.
• To optimize fiber composition and processing for enhanced piezoelectric properties.

Main Methods:

• Melt spinning under an electrostatic field followed by thermal drawing.
• Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for phase analysis.
• X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and electron microscopy for structural characterization.

Main Results:

• Processing conditions significantly influence the phase transformation of PVDF from the α-phase to the β-phase.
• Optimized fibers (1 wt.% BaTiO3, thermal stretching ratio of 5, stretching rate of 40 mm/min, 18 kV electric field) achieved 61.3% crystallinity and 95.5% β-phase content.
• Controlled processing parameters are crucial for tailoring the crystalline structure and enhancing piezoelectric potential.

Conclusions:

• The developed BaTiO3/PVDF composite fibers exhibit significant potential for flexible electroactive applications.
• Optimized processing routes are effective in maximizing the electroactive β-phase content in PVDF.
• Further electromechanical characterization is necessary for complete device integration and performance assessment.