Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 97, 64 (2022)
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap/2022220110

Regular Article

Improving dielectric properties of composites thin films with polylactic acid and PZT microparticles induced by interfacial polarization

¹ Hassan II University of Casablanca, LPMAT, Faculty of Sciences Aïn Chock, BP 5366 Maarif, 20100 Casablanca, Morocco
² REMTEX Laboratory, Higher School of Textile and Clothing Industries (ESITH), Casablanca, Morocco
³ Centre technologique en aérospatiale, 5555 Rue de L' ́ENA, Saint-Hubert, J3Y 8Y9 QC, Canada
⁴ Laboratory of Physics of Condensed Matter (LPMC), Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sick, Hassan II University of Casablanca, Morocco
⁵ Institut Interdisciplinaire d′Innovation Technologique (3IT), Université de Sherbrooke, 3000 Boulevard Université, Sherbrooke, J1K OA5 QC, Canada
⁶ Laboratory Nanotechnologies and Nano Systems, LN2, CNRS, University of Sherbrooke, 3IT (Interdisciplinary Institute of Technological Innovation), Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
⁷ Yildiz Technical University, Department of Physics, 34210 Istanbul, Turkey
⁸ LAS Laboratory of Setif, Mohamed el Bachir el Ibrahimi BBA University, El Anceur, Algeria

^* e-mail: elmahdi.bouiri@gmail.com

Received: 31 March 2022
Received in final form: 8 July 2022
Accepted: 1 August 2022
Published online: 21 September 2022

Abstract

Although polylactic acid (PLA) is widely identified as a biodegradable polymer, its use is limited due to the inherently poor mechanical properties. Therefore, the strengthening of PLA with microscale particles like lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is a promising field of research that has only just begun to be explored. Piezoelectric polymer-PZT films are encouraging materials for modern technological applications in energy harvesting. The PLA/PZT composites were developed using the solvent casting technique. The mechanical characteristics and dielectric properties of the considered films were investigated. X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used, respectively, to examine the influence of these fillers at the molecular level, crystal structure change and micro charges dispersion inside the polymer matrix. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) was used to examine the stability and thermal degradation of the films. The effect of the content (0.1–1 wt.%) of PZT on these properties has also been studied. The results indicate that the addition of PZT content induces considerable improvement in the β-phase and dielectric constant of microcomposites films compared to that of pure PLA.