Synergistic Effects of Zirconia-Coated Carbon Nanotube on Crystalline Structure of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Nanocomposites: Electrical Properties and Flame-Retardant Behavior

Pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and zirconia-coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (ZrO2/MWNTs) by isothermal hydrolysis and the traditional chemical precipitation method have been dispersed into polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) copolymer by solution mixing in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). The effects of ZrO2-coated MWNTs on morphological properties, electrical properties, and flame-retardant behavior has been studied in comparison with virgin PVDF bind PVDF/MWNTs nanocomposites. Due to the improved dispersion of the coated nanotubes, the incorporation of 3 wt % of ZrO2-coated MWNTs leads to in increase of the thermal stability and dielectric properties and a decrease of the peak heat-release rate.