High‐performance poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐polyamide 11/lithium niobate nanocomposites for the applications in air filtration

Abstract

To overcome the fiber-spinning problem of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) because of its high melt viscosity and rapid crystallization, polyamide 11 (PA11) with excellent melt spinning capability and good electret properties is incorporated to prepare blends by melt mixing. Their crystal structure, morphology, electrical polarization properties, and melt spinning performance are systematically characterized by various techniques. It is found that the incorporation of PA11 reduces the crystallinity of PVDF, increases its thermally stimulated discharge current, and reduces its viscosity. Therefore, the blends show much better melt spinning capability. For such blends, the addition of outstanding inorganic electret materials, lithium niobate (LiNbO 3 , LN) nanoparticles is found to further improve the materials' electret properties. Such a strategy is proved to be successful in melt spinning PVDF electrets into fine fibers, which is beneficial to their applications in air filtration and other related fields.