# Enhancement of Piezoelectric Properties in Electrospun PVDF Nanofiber Membranes via In Situ Doping with ZnO or BaTiO3

## TL;DR

This paper shows how adding ZnO or BaTiO3 to PVDF nanofibers improves their piezoelectric performance, making them better for microsensors.

## Contribution

A new in situ doping strategy is introduced to enhance PVDF's piezoelectric properties using ZnO or BTO.

## Key findings

- A 16 wt% PVDF and 10 wt% ZnO composite achieved 52.8% β-phase content.
- The output voltage of the composite reached 1.5 V, 2.5 times higher than undoped PVDF.
- Processing parameters significantly affect the morphology and piezoelectric performance of the nanofiber membranes.

## Abstract

High-performance piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) has great application potential in the field of microsensors, but achieving efficient polarization remains a challenge. Here, the in situ doping electrospinning technique is employed to enhance the piezoelectric properties by introducing a single dose of zinc oxide (ZnO) or barium titanate (BaTiO3,BTO) dopants. The effects of key processing parameters on the morphology of nanofiber membranes were systematically investigated. In addition, the influence of zinc oxide (ZnO) or barium titanate (BTO) dopant concentrations on the piezoelectric properties of PVDF was examined. The microstructure, electrical performance, and β-phase content of the composite membranes were characterized. Results indicate that the composite film with a doping formulation of 16 wt% PVDF and 10 wt% ZnO exhibits optimal overall performance: the β-phase content of PVDF reaches 52.8%, and the output voltage reaches 1.5 V, which is 2.5 times higher than that of the undoped PVDF nanofiber membranes. This study provides an effective doping strategy for the fabrication of high-performance piezoelectric nanofiber membranes.