Fabrication and Characterization of PVDF-based Electrospun Composite Fibers Mat for Mechanical Energy Harvesting

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) has been widely investigated as a sensor and transducer material due to its high piezo-, pyro- and ferroelectric properties. In this study, we demonstrate a force sensor based on a kind of electrospun composite fibers mat, the structure of which is composed of PVDF as the matrix, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs). By this sensing device, the mechanical energy can be converted into electrical signals upon different loading rates. And the device also shows long-term working stability. Moreover, we use optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to demonstrate the effects of the electrospinning technique and the addition of ZnO and GNPs on the β-phase composition of PVDF. These results imply promising applications for practical energy harvesting devices and wearable self-powered sensors.