1 research outputs found
Electrophoretic deposition and heat treatment of steel-supported pvdf-graphite composite film
Polymeric poly(vinyliden fluoride) (PVDF) is nontoxic. It possesses a better mechanical
flexibility and requires a lower synthesis temperature, as compared to the piezoceramic
counterparts. In order to achieve a competitive advantage against the current piezoelectric sensor,
graphite could replace a more expensive silver-palladium as the electrodes for the piezoelectric
PVDF. This paper reports the preliminary results on the synthesis of steel-supported graphite-
PVDF/PVDF/graphite-PVDF composite films using the two-step process, consisted of the
electrophoretic deposition (EPD) and heat treatment. The composite films were characterized by
means of the optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and differential
scanning calorimetry. The heat treated graphite-PVDF electrode deposited by EPD provides
adequate mechanical strength for the subsequent depositions of pure PVDF layer and the second
layer of graphite-PVDF composite electrode. However, the final heat treatment stage did not eliminate the fine and large cracks of the composite film, which might be attributed to high residue stresses and weak bonding between graphite and PVDF particles in the post-heat treated composite films. Nevertheless, the increase in final heat treatment temperature of the composite film at Stage 3 improved the graphite and PVDF grain alignment, as well as its crystallinity