Boosting Energy Storage of Poly(vinylidene difluoride) Nanocomposite Based Flexible Self-Standing Film with Low Amount of Hydroxylated V₂O₅

Polymer-ceramic based nanocomposite dielectric materials have become an attraction for researchers due to their lightweight and high dielectric breakdown strength as well as good dielectric properties. We have synthesized poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF)/hydroxylated-V2O5 (Hy-V2O5) ferroelectric polymer nanocomposite self-standing film, with an average thickness of 0.07 ± 0.005 mm. The phase identification, surface analysis, and structural analysis were performed using differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The analysis of atomic force micrographs reveals lower surface roughness of the nanocomposite films and confirms that the film is suitable for energy storage rather than charge transport with the help of the isotropic power spectral density (PSD) profile. The loading of a low amount of Hy-V2O5 filler in PVDF significantly enhances the ferroelectric polarization, making it highly suitable for high energy storage applications. Enhancement of the dielectric constant (from ∼9 to 29.86) and polarization (Pmax for PVDF = 0.86 μC/cm2 to Pmax for PVDF/Hy-V2O5 = 2.7 μC/cm2 at the 1000 kV/cm field) is obtained. The energy density for the nanocomposite increased to 220% of that of the pure PVDF. Due to the low amount of filler, there is no substantial reduction in the dielectric breakdown strength of the nanocomposite, which is maintained at 1766.93 kV/cm.