DWNT/PVDF melt-spun piezoelectric fibres

Paper in proceeding, 2011

Crystalline morphology in poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF), in particular the presence of polar β phase crystals, is of utmost importance towards the material´s piezoelectricity. Nanoparticles have been in focus recently as means of enhancing β phase crystals formation in PVDF. Dominantly, the so-far work has been carried out on films/thin sheets. The influence of CNT on PVDF crystalline structure has been less investigated, however some results indicating an enhancing role of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) in solution compounded PVDF films are available. Published results for MWNT/PVDF films are not in good agreement. The only study into single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT)/PVDF has been made on electrospun nanofibres. An overview of results for PVDF films/sheets and fibres using various nanoparticles published and in the literature is given in [1]. In the present work we focus on melt-spun double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWNT)/PVDF fibres. We present new results for melt-spun PVDF fibres containing non-functionalized and amino-functionalized DWNT. The key finding is that amino-DWNT can favourably influence the β to α polymorphic balance. [1] [1] A. Lund, C. Gustafsson, H. Bertilsson, R.W. Rychwalski, Compos. Sci. Tech., Vol. 71, 222-229 (2011) Acknowledgement: The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF) is acknowledged (AL, RWR).