Effect of a Room-Temperature Ionic Liquid on the Structure and Properties of Electrospun Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Nanofibers

Abstract

Novel anti-static nanofibers based on blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and a room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [BMIM][PF6], were fabricated using an electrospinning approach. The effects of the RTIL on the morphology, crystal structure, and physical properties of the PVDF nanofibers were investigated. Incorporation of RTIL leads to an increase in the mean fiber diameter and the rough fiber surface of the PVDF/RTIL composite nanofibers compared with the neat PVDF nanofibers. The PVDF in the PVDF/RTIL nanofibers exhibits an extremely high content (almost 100%) of β crystals, in contrast to the dominance of PVDF γ crystals in bulk melt-blended PVDF/RTIL blends. Nonwoven fabrics produced from the electrospun PVDF/RTIL composite nanofibers show better stretchability and higher electrical conductivity than those made from neat PVDF without RTIL, and are thus excellent antielectrostatic fibrous materials. In addition, RTIL greatly improved the hydrophobicity of the PVDF fibers, enabling them to effectively separate a mixture of tetrachloromethane (CCl4) and water. The extremely high β content, excellent antielectrostatic properties, better stretchability, and hydrophobicity of the present PVDF/RTIL nanofibers make them a promising candidate for micro- and nanoscale electronic device applications.

Nanostructured Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/Ionic Liquid Composites: Formation of Organic Conductive Nanodomains in Polymer Matrix

“…The T c depression is obviously attributed to the thermodynamic miscibility between the IL molecules and PVDF. 10,13 The nanostructured PVDF composite, however, had a T c of 145.9°C…”

“…8,9 These advantages, together with their ease of handling, considerably push the utilization of ILs as additives for many polymers. 10−19 The ILs may take roles of plasticizers, 10,12,14,16,20,21 antistatic agents, 10,12,13 lubricants, 22,23 and antibacterial agents 24 for polymers, especially for miscible polymer/IL blends.…”

Effect of ionic liquid anion and cation on the physico-chemical properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/ionic liquid blends

“…The incorporation of IL in the PVDF matrix works as plasticizer [14], promotes the b crystalline phase in PVDF [15], has good miscibility [16,17] and increases the ionic conductivity, which is useful in the production of solid polymer-based electrolytes for batteries, fuel cells and supercapacitors [18]. The incorporation of the IL into the polymer matrix can be performed in the form of film [19], porous membranes [20] or fibers [21], including also the possible control of the hydrophobicity [22]. With respect to actuators, IL/PVDF polymer composites are also receiving increasing attention.…”

Influence of processing conditions on polymorphic behavior, crystallinity, and morphology of electrospun poly(VInylidene fluoride) nanofibers

“…Another interesting feature of PVDF is its structural polymorphism. 19,20 Due to the development of the field of nanotechnology over the last decades, there has been an escalated increasing in electrospinning. Depending on the chain conformations (namely trans (T) or gauche (G) linkages), PVDF shows five crystalline phases: non-polar a-phase and E-phase, as well as polar b-phase, d-phase, and c-phase.…”