Preparation and Characterization of Polymer-Based Electrospun Nanofibers for Flexible Electronic Applications

Abstract

This study was undertaken to synthesize and characterize PVDF/CB (polyvinylidene fluoride/carbon block) nanofiber composites for flexible, wearable electronic applications. Nanofibers were produced by electrospinning method and used to produce thin films. Fiber surface morphologies were investigated by FE-SEM and HR-TEM, crystalline structures by FT-IR and P-XRD, and thermal characteristics by TGA and DSC. The prepared materials are thermally stable up to 390 °C. Mechanical properties were ascertained using tensile characteristics, and results showed that the addition of carbon black (CB) powder to PVDF polymer solution decreased Young’s modulus values and reduced the dielectric constant of PVDF nanofiber films. The obtained dielectric constants of nanofibers loaded with various concentrations of CB were found from 1.4 to 2.0. Flexible electronics materials are essential for the production of wearable electronics and various biomedical engineering applications. The PVDF/CB nanofibers containing 1% showed maximum Young’s moduli of 101.29 ± 15.94. Nanofiber thin films offer various advantages, including simplicity of manufacture, low power consumption, flexibility, and exceptional stability, all of which are crucial for flexible, wearable device applications.