Electrospun nanofibers doped with PVDF and PLZT nanoparticles for potential biomedical and energy harvesting applications

Multifunctional composite nanofiber membranes of Polyvinylidene fluoride and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) and PVDF embedded with La3+ ion substituted for Pb2+ ion in Lead zirconate titanate (Pb1-xLax(ZryTi1-y)(1-x/4)O-3) (PLZT) nanoparticles were fabricated using the electrospinning technique for the present investigation. The resulting composite nanofiber membranes were characterized for their microstructure, electrical properties, and mechanical strength. The observed PVDF/PLZT electrospun membranes characteristics demonstrate the presence of & beta;-phase, as shown by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, the pyroelectric and dielectric properties depend on the concentration of embedded PLZT nanoparticles, porosity, and electroactive & beta;-phase content. The samples were subjected to stress under compression, shear, and torsion for their response, which indicates that the composites can be used for designing capacitive force-sensing devices. Based on the pyroelectric coefficient and real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant, appropriate figures of merit were calculated to determine an optimum value for specific functionalities. Due to the vast range of potential applications, a brief overview of parametric considerations is discussed for designing flexible multifunctional sensor platforms, followed by future pathways.