Enhancing the properties of PVDF/MFe2O4; (M: Co-Zn and Cu-Zn) nanocomposite for the piezoelectric optronic applications

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer is considered as an encouraging piezoelectric material whose optical properties need to be enhanced. Zinc ferrite is an excellent photoelectric material, in the present work it was doped separately by (cobalt and copper) ferrite. Co-ZnFe2O4 and Cu-ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized using auto-combustion method and characterized using XRD, FTIR, FESEM and HRTEM. The crystallite size was (28.8, 35.8, 22 and 31) nm for the Co-ZnFe2O4 and Cu-ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles, while the estimated particle size from HRTEM were 55 nm for the Co-ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles and 75 nm for the Cu-ZnFe2O4. The obtained samples used as PVDF fillers, aiming to improve its optical properties. The optical properties as well as, the piezoelectric response of the prepared PVDF/(Co-ZnFe2O4 and Cu-ZnFe2O4) nanocomposites were investigated. The maximum value for refractive index was related to PVDF/Co-ZnFe2O4 nanocomposite. While, Cu-ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles have limited improvement of the PVDF optical properties. Co-ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles increases the PVDF optical conductivity sigma(opt.) four times its original value as well as the dielectric values was increased from 0.05 for neat PVDF to 2. The piezoelectric response of the PVDF polymer is clearly increased by the addition of both Co-ZnFe2O4 and Cu-ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles.

Automated summary

In this study, Co-ZnFe2O4 and Cu-ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized using auto-combustion method and used as fillers for PVDF to improve its optical properties. The results showed that Co-ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles increased the optical conductivity of PVDF four times, and the addition of both Co-ZnFe2O4 and Cu-ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles significantly increased the piezoelectric response of PVDF.