Piezoelectric Nanofibrous Composite Materials for Energy and Electronic Applications

This paper discusses the development of composite materials with a piezoelectric effect. Polymeric mats of different shapes were made from electrospun piezoelectric nanofibers, and the piezo effect was improved by adjusting the electrospinning device in order to increase the electric field between the electrodes at the time of dipolar polarization. The electromechanical response of the resulting composite materials, which are made up of the mats and a silicon rubber matrix, is then assessed. By appropriately integrating the nanofibers into the host material, as shown by images obtained using electron microscopy, delaminations, that might have occurred with piezoelectric films, are avoided. Last but not least, it has been demonstrated that both vibration and impact stimuli result in a sizable electrical reaction.