Degree of crystallinity and β-phase fraction are important factors in determining electroactive polymers performance. In the present work, effects of intrinsic static electricity, substrate type, PVDF solution concentration and drying temperature on β-phase fraction and degree of crystallinity in fabricated PVDF films were studied using XRD, Raman spectroscopy and FTIR techniques. In particular, this paper investigates the influence of static electricity on PVDF film properties for the first time. The results show that discharging static electricity from the PVDF solution is highly effective in reducing the amount of residual solvent. It was found that a lower amount of residual solvent and higher drying temperature resulted in a higher degree of crystallinity. Further, a high fraction of β phase was observed in all PVDF films due to more polar solvent effect that it was hardly affected by other parameters such as static electricity.

Bucky gel actuator (BGA) is a type of electro‐active polymer that bends when stimulated by an electric field. Its operation is affected by a matrix network, which has two opposite effects on ion migration and material strength properties of the actuator. Therefore, designing a BGA with more deflection or more strength demands the study of matrix structural properties. In this paper, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) was used as the polymer matrix in BGA composites, and the degree of crystallinity and the fraction of β phase were calculated using X‐ray diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy respectively to investigate the matrix structural properties. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy analysis was utilized for phase characterization. Several composite films with various components including electrode and electrolyte layers of BGA were prepared by the drop‐casting method in two different conditions to study the effects of PVDF concentration in dimethylacetamide solvent, drying temperature, and additive materials on the matrix structural properties for the first time. It was observed that low concentrations of PVDF in dimethylacetamide solvent coupled with a high drying temperature in a carbon nanotube‐based BGA in contrast with using a graphene‐based BGA, had the lowest degree of crystallinity and β phase fraction. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E1208–E1215, 2018. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers

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