Current and future applications of PVDF-carbon nanomaterials in energy and sensing

The review unveils the diverse applications of concerted polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-carbon nanomaterial (CNM) systems, spanning from electromagnetic interference shielding, including elimination of 5G-interference, to piezoelectrics and a variety of sensing modalities (breathing, movement, health monitoring, structural integrity assessments, home monitoring, and seismic acceleration). These materials also excel in biomaterials with applications like tactile skin and COVID-preventing facemasks through sunlight sterilization. Moreover, PVDF-CNMs demonstrate excellence in radar absorption, solar-assisted electricity generation, triboelectric energy harvesting, 3D-4D printing materials, anti-icing covers, anti-stealth materials, and heat-dissipating solids in electronics. Across diverse scientific disciplines, the research merges materials chemistry and engineering, yielding materials with multimodal functionalities. The demand for a comprehensive review stems from the need to synthesize insights from fundamental sciences and technologies, capturing the cutting-edge nature of these materials. The scientific goals revolve around elucidating the link between PVDF and CNMs' structural attributes and physico-chemical properties. Two key objectives guide this exploration: (a) shedding light on the conversion from PVDF α- to β-phase toward its applicability in EMI shielding, piezoelectrics, sensors, and energy harvesters, and (b) highlighting the simplicity in generating PVDF-CNMs, presenting a vast potential for tuning material features like hydrophilicity, mechanical properties, piezoelectric characteristics, catalytic activity, and bioactivity. This pursuit of scientific excellence indicates new avenues, underscoring significance of the ongoing research and inviting the scientific community to explore uncharted territories, fostering a continuous environment of discovery and innovation in the dynamic landscape of PVDF-CNMs.