Flexible Films of β-Phase Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/ZnFe2O4 Polymer Nanocomposite for Magnetoelectric Device Applications

Flexible films of magneto electric polymer nanocomposite are fabricated using ferroelectric Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) as the matrix and nano sized zinc ferrite (ZFO) as the filler. Single-phase cubic spinel ZFO of size 36.3 nm has been synthesized separately by sol-gel combustion route. PVDF-ZFO polymer nanocomposite films have been fabricated in different weight percentages of ZFO by casting method. The structural, chemical, morphological and thermal properties of the films are investigated through XRD, FTIR, SEM and DSC analysis. The results revealed that the incorporation of ZFO nanoparticles in PVDF matrix strongly influence the formation of beta-phase conformation. The effects of nano ZFO on crystallinity and on the enhancement of ferroelectric beta phase are discussed. Both the ferroelectric and magnetic properties of the films are investigated through hysteresis studies and are found to be strongly dependent on the ZFO loading. The temperature dependence of ferroelectricity and the magnetoelectric coupling are elaborated for the PVDF-ZFO film of 15 wt% which is identified as the film with best optimum composition.