Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 97, 88 (2022)
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap/2022220111

Regular Article

PVDF–HFP/PZT nanocomposite thin films: preparation, structure and piezoelectric properties

¹ REMTEX Laboratory, Higher School of Textile and Clothing Industries (ESITH), Casablanca, Morocco
² Laboratory of Physics of Condensed Matter (LPMC), Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sik, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
³ Institut Interdisciplinaire d'Innovation Technologique (3IT), Université de Sherbrooke, 3000 Boulevard Université, Sherbrooke, J1K OA5 Québec, Canada
⁴ Laboratory Nanotechnologies and Nano Systems, LN2, CNRS, University of Sherbrooke, 3IT (Interdisciplinary Institute of Technological Innovation), Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
⁵ Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Materials and Catalysis (LCPMC), Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sik, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
⁶ Materials Science, Energy and Nanoengineering (MSN) Department, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Lot 660–Hay Moulay Rachid, 43150 Ben Guerir, Morocco
⁷ LAS Laboratory of Setif, Mohamed el Bachir el Ibrahimi BBA University, El Anceur, Algeria

^* e-mail: khadija.oumghar-etu@etu.univh2c.ma

Received: 31 March 2022
Received in final form: 6 October 2022
Accepted: 24 October 2022
Published online: 21 December 2022

Abstract

Piezoelectric nanocomposites have attracted considerable attention from researchers during these last years for their wide use in the development of electromechanical microsystems (MEMS). In this paper, piezoelectric lead titanate zirconate (PZT) are used with poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafuoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) polymer matrix to prepare the piezo thin nanocomposite film. An improvement in the β phase in PVdF-HFP was created by the reaction between the PZT nanoparticles and PVdF-HFP. The process used for the preparation of the film results in the enhancement of the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of PVdF-HFP. These polymer nanocomposite films were made by the solvent casting method under ultra-sonication using THF as a solvent, with different percentages of PZT. The results confirm that incorporating PZT nanoparticles in the PVDF-HFP matrix increases the β-phase fraction, enhancing the efficiency of energy harvesting.