Enhanced piezoelectric response of polyvinylidene fluoride/Cloisite 30B nanofiber actuators

This study reports the results of producing a highly electroactive actuator by tailoring the crystalline phases in one-dimensionally confined nanostructures. The nanoconfinement effect induced by the gap spinning method, which involves preparing well-oriented small-diameter PVDF nanofibers, is responsible for the formation of the predominant polar β-phase in the crystalline structure. Incorporation of only 0.04 wt% Cloisite 30B nanoparticles further enhanced the molecular orientation through polymer chain-clay platelet interfacial interactions. With a β-phase content of 91%, the highly oriented PVDF/Cloisite 30B nanofibers displayed a dielectric constant that was 21% higher, and an elastic modulus that was 95% greater, than that of randomly oriented pure PVDF nanofibers. The piezoelectric performance of the nanofibers was evaluated by designing a unimorph piezoelectric actuator. The device achieved an actuation deflection of 12.8 μm under an applied electric field of 2 V/µm, demonstrating remarkable piezoelectric efficiency compared to similar actuators reported in literature.