Impact of Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the Piezoelectric Properties of Electrospun PVDF Nanomats

Abstract

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is a polymer widely recognized for its biocompatibility, mechanical resilience, and piezoelectric properties - largely dependent on its β-phase content. This β-phase content can be enhanced through methods such as electrical poling and mechanical stretching, both of which occur during the electrospinning process. Given the antibacterial properties of silver, combining silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with biocompatible PVDF offers promising applications in biomedical composite fabrication. This study investigates the impact of AgNPs on the β-phase content of PVDF in electrospun nanomats, analyzed through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. A comparison between PVDF fabricated by electrospinning and the casting method revealed that electrospinning significantly increased the β-phase fraction. Additionally, incorporating AgNPs (at concentrations of 0.1% and 0.3% w/w) into electrospun fibers further enhanced the β-phase fraction; however, with further concentration increase (0.5% w/w), a reduction in β-phase was observed.