Crash precipitation of nanoscale B-phase PVDF particles

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) exhibits coupling between the electrical and mechanical domains while in its crys-talline B-phase. The electromechanical coupling effect is known as piezoelectricity, wherein a voltage is gener-ated from a uniform stress or strain. While several techniques have been developed to crystallize PVDF in the B-phase, the processes usually produce films or fibers with few processes producing B-phase particles. The re-ported processes to produce particles generally require specialized equipment that is not readily available. In this work, nano-sized B-phase PVDF particles (<100 nm) are precipitated from solution using commercially available materials. The size of the particles was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. The phase was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). These nano-sized B-phase particles have the potential to act as inclusions in composite materials to improve electrical and mechanical properties, while the method represents a potential route to control the phase and size of PVDF particles to meet specific applications.

Automated summary

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) exhibits piezoelectricity in its crystalline B-phase, where a voltage can be generated from uniform stress or strain. Current techniques for crystallizing PVDF into the B-phase typically result in films or fibers, with few methods producing B-phase particles. This study presents a method for precipitating nano-sized B-phase PVDF particles (<100 nm) from a solution using commercially available materials. These particles have the potential to improve electrical and mechanical properties when used as inclusions in composite materials, and the method offers a potential route for controlling the phase and size of PVDF particles for specific applications.