Synergistic Effect of MgO/ZnO on β-Phase Crystallization in PVDF: A Comparative Study of Mode of Nanofiller Additions for Piezoelectric Applications

Abstract

This study pioneers the investigation into the critical role of the nanofiller addition method in enhancing β-phase crystallization in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). Hydrothermally synthesized magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles are combined with zinc oxide (ZnO) in two approaches, yielding optimized electroactive properties. Characterization via Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) confirmed the improved β-phase crystallization in P/ZM10 film. The superior sensitivity with fast, linear and precise pattern detection of the optimised polymer composite device ensures its usage as a piezoelectric sensor system. Under the realistic irregular hand-tapping of 22–23 N force, the fabricated prototype generated an output voltage of 96 V and displayed a maximum power density of 66.69 µW cm−2. A laboratory-level demonstration of the prototype as a piezoelectric sensor in water filters enables its efficiency and feasibility for real-time applications.