Electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) based flexible magnetoelectric nanofibers

Abstract Flexible multiferroic nanofibers of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE) containing 20% w/w of bismuth ferrite doped with neodymium and cobalt (Nd 0.05 Bi 0.95 Fe 0.95 Co 0.05 O 3 ) nanoparticles were fabricated by electrospinning. SEM micrographs show well aligned nanofibers with average diameter of 420 nm, X-Ray diffraction revealed R3c crystalline structure corresponding to Nd 0.05 Bi 0.95 Fe 0.95 Co 0.05 O 3 and crystallinity β phase of PVDF-TrFE polymer. FTIR spectra and DSC thermogram were used to investigate the crystallization behavior of PVDF-TrFE and showed pure β phase crystals and high degree of crystallinity. Dielectric measurements determined a low conductivity was found (3 × 10 −6 –1 × 10 −9  S) together with a piezoelectric coefficient of 35 pm/V (−d 33 ) and low permittivity (e r  = 30–42). Obtained nanofibers displayed a ferromagnetic hysteresis loop, with coercivity of 140 mT and remnant magnetization of 0.580 Am 2 /kg at room temperature. The coexistence of magnetic hysteresis and ferroelectric properties in Nd 0.05 Bi 0.95 Fe 0.95 Co 0.05 O 3 /PVDF-TrFE nanofibers indicates magnetoelectric performance and hint for potential applications on technological devices.