Structural properties of composites of polyvinylidene fluoride and mechanically activated BaTiO3 particles

Nanocomposites of electroactive ceramics and ferroelectric polymers exploit favorable features of the matrix polymer and the nanostructured filler to produce new functional materials for pressure and IR sensors. In this study, the influence of mechanical activation of barium titanate (BaTiO3) particles on the structural properties of BaTiO3/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposites was investigated. Nanocomposite films were prepared by the solution casting method and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. It was found that mechanically activated fillers promote the formation of a ferroelectric beta-phase during crystallization of PVDF.