Influence of solvent evaporation rate on crystallization of poly(vinylidene fluoride) thin films

Abstract

The processes for obtaining crystalline and smooth poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) thin films using 2-butanone solvent are explored. The in-situ substrate temperature has been systematically controlled to observe the crystallization process. The in-situ substrate temperature is manipulated to control the rate of evaporation of 2-butanone solvent and is found to have played a vital role in the crystallization of PVDF thin films. Further, X-ray diffraction and Raman microscope were utilized to understand the crystalline phase of PDVF thin films, while atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy have been utilized to investigate the surface morphology and surface roughness of the films.