P(VDF-TrFE)/PMMA Blended Films with Enhanced Electrowetting Responses and Superior Energy Storage Performance

Abstract

P(VDF-TrFE) (vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene)/PMMA (PVT/PMMA) blended films synthesized through a facile solution-blending method show outstanding performance for practical electrowetting and energy storage applications. The van der Waals forces and dipolar interactions in neighboring P(VDF-TrFE) and PMMA chains, together with the suppressed free volume (or defect) are critical to the significantly-enhanced electrical properties. Typical, Teflon-covered P(VDF-TrFE)/PMMA blended film exhibits a high dielectric constant of 13 with low dielectric loss (~0.05) at 100 Hz and a large initial contact angle of 122°. Its electrowetting response with a contact angle modulation of 50° in air and low contact angle hysteresis demonstrate that it is promising for low-voltage electrowetting applications. Furthermore, with an energy density of 11.8 J/cm3, approximately double that of pure P(VDF-TrFE), PVT/PMMA blended films containing 20 wt % PMMA turn out to be superior materials for energy storage applications, due to their significantly-enhanced polarization and reduced remnant polarization.