Spectroscopic Investigations on Polyvinylidene Fluoride Nanofibers

ABSTRACT The production of polyvinylidene fluoride nanofibers by force‐spinning from polymer solutions was confirmed by electron microscopy. The structural and phase characteristics of the resulting nanofiber mats were examined using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflectance mode, Raman spectroscopy, and X‐ray Diffraction. Results from all these techniques consistently indicated that both the powder and the mats of polyvinylidene fluoride predominantly contain the α phase, with a small admixture of the β phase. Within experimental errors, no other phases were noticed both in the powder and in the as‐obtained mats. The ratios of the areas of the Raman lines at 265 and 285 cm −1 , as well as at 796 and 839 cm −1 , support the enhancement of the β phase content from about 15% in the pristine polymer powder to over 75% in polymer mats. FTIR (in the ATR mode), Raman, and X‐ray Scattering confirmed the presence of the β phase. It is concluded that the β‐phase content increases with increasing spinning rate. The findings highlight the potential of force‐spinning as an efficient, scalable method for producing PVDF nanofibers with tailored phase composition for applications in sensors, actuators, and energy‐harvesting devices.