Synthesis and characterization of spin-coated clay/PVDF thin films

This paper reports the fabrication of Cloisite-15A (C-15A)-dispersed polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposite thin films by spin coating and their characterization for sensor applications. The effects of nanoclay, duration of ultrasonication and spinning speed on the morphology and properties of thin films were studied. The influence of these parameters on the amount of \(\upbeta \)-phase was analysed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The influence of C-15A on the morphology and surface quality of thin films was analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Piezoelectric coefficient was measured at 110 Hz and 0.25 N. Contact angle was measured to assess the hydrophobicity of thin films. The \(\upbeta \)-phase of 82.97% was obtained in the specimens with 5 wt% C-15A, processed at 500 rpm and spun for 35 min. The piezoelectricity of the specimens increased from \(-18\) to \(-25\hbox { pC N}^{-1}\). Experiments were conducted as per \(\hbox {L}_{16}\) orthogonal array.