Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/carbon nanotube nanocomposites for energy storage and conversion

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/polyacrilonitrile (PAN)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes functionalized COOH (MWCNTs-COOH) nanocomposites with different contents of MWCNTs were fabricated by using electrospinning and solution cast methods. The interaction of the MWCNTs with the polymer blend was confirmed by a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy study. The dispersion of the MWCNTs in the polymer blend was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The dispersion of the MWCNTs in the polymer matrix at different compositions has been examined by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both individual and agglomerations of MWCNTs were evident. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes are capable of enhancing the impedance and electrical conductivity of PVDF-PAN/MWCNTs in a wide frequency range at different temperatures. Nanocomposites based on PVDF/PAN and MWCNTs as fillers show a significant enhancement in the electrical conductivity as a function of temperature. In addition, PVDF/PAN with 5.58 wt.% of MWCNTs has a much higher specific energy (129.7Wh/kg) compared to that of PVDF/PAN (15.57 Wh/kg).The results reveal that PVDF/PAN/MWCNTs composites have potential applications for nanogenerators, organic semiconductors, transducers, and electrical energy storage.