Largely enhanced ferroelectric and energy storage performances of P(VDF-CTFE) nanocomposites at a lower electric field using BaTiO3 nanowires by stirring hydrothermal method

Abstract Uniform morphology BaTiO 3 nanowires with high aspect ratio (>100) were synthesized via a novel stirring hydrothermal method. The BaTiO 3 /P(VDF-CTFE) nanocomposite films were prepared by a simple solution casting method using dopamine modified BaTiO 3 nanowires as nanofillers and ferroelectric polymer P(VDF-CTFE) as matrix. A maximum dielectric displacement of 9 μC/cm 2 under the electric field of 3000 kV/cm was achieved for the nanocomposites with 3 vol% BaTiO 3 nanowires. These nanocomposites with dopamine modified BaTiO 3 nanowires also exhibit an enhanced energy density of 8.4 J/cm 3 at a relative low electric field of 2700 kV/cm. This energy density is 55% higher than that of the pure P(VDF-CTFE) (−5.4 J/cm 3 at 3600 kV/cm). Such significant enhancement in dielectric displacement and energy density is attributed to the combined effects of both surface modification by dopamine and the high aspect ratio of the BaTiO 3 nanowires. Our study has a promising commercial potential in practical application in the automobile and aerospace field, which require greater energy density with a lower operating voltage.