Largely enhanced ferroelectric and energy storage performances of P (VDF-CTFE) nanocomposites at a lower electric field using BaTiO3 nanowires by stirring hydrothermal method

BaTiO(3)Uniform morphology BaTiO3 nanowires with high aspect ratio (> 100) were synthesized via a novel stirring hydrothermal method. The BaTiO3/P(VDF-CTFE) nanocomposite films were prepared by a simple solution casting method using dopamine modified BaTiO3 nanowires as nanofillers and ferroelectric polymer P(VDF-CTFE) as matrix. A maximum dielectric displacement of 9 mu C/cm(2) under the electric field of 3000 kV/cm was achieved for the nanocomposites with 3 vol% BaTiO3 nanowires. These nano composites with dopamine modified BaTiO3 nanowires also exhibit an enhanced energy density of 8.4 J/cm(3) at a relative low electric field of 2700 kV/cm. This energy density is 55% higher than that of the pure P(VDF-CTFE) (-5.4 J/cm(3) at 3600 KV/cm). Such significant enhancement in dielectric displacement and energy density is attributed to the combined effects of both surface modification by dopamine and the high aspect ratio of the BaTiO3 nanowires. Our study has a promising commercial potential in practical application in the automobile and aerospace field, which require greater energy density with a lower operating voltage. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.