Self-powered flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator made of poly (vinylidene fluoride)/Zirconium oxide nanocomposite

The electroactive beta-phase is the most desirable due to its highest piezo-, pyro-, and ferroelectric properties in Poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). The beta-phase can be nucleated by incorporation of nanoparticles into PVDF. The objective of this study is the preparation and characterization of the pristine PVDF film, and intensified dosages of the ZrO2 modified composite PVDF films, further piezoelectric properties of nanocomposites films are evaluated. The nanocomposite films have been prepared by solution casting method with different loadings of ZrO2. The prepared films are characterized by Scanning electron microscope (SEM), x-ray diffraction (X-RD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), to study surface morphology, beta-phase content, crystallinity, and melting temperature. The experimental analysis shows that the beta-phase percentage and melting temperature of the films increases with ZrO2 loading, but the percentage of crystallinity decreases. Nanogenerators are fabricated by using the films, and piezoelectric performances of the nanogenerators are evaluated under various external stresses. The maximum voltage generated in the case of 5 wt% loading of ZrO2 is 1560 mV for 100 g of load, which is approximately eight times higher than the voltage generated in the pristine-PVDF and 2.2 Vis generated while tapping by hand.