Review of Characterization Techniques for Multifunctional Polymer and Composite Piezoelectric Materials: A Poly (Vinylidene Fluoride) (PVDF)

This paper provides a review on major characterization techniques for piezoelectric materials, that are applicable and suitable for all multifunctional film, polymer, composite materials to study and analyze their behavior. These techniques are vital for fine-tuning the material’s properties to match specific practical demands. These characterization techniques include structural, thermal, mechanical, electrical, ferroelectric and piezoelectrical coefficient methods. The expected evaluations and outcomes are also provided, along with the standard procedures and commercially accessible equipment’s for these studies. Such as DSC, FTIR, XRD, and d₃₃ metering. This paper focuses on Poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) material which emerged as a valuable material in modern engineering thanks to its unusual combination of mechanical flexibility, thermal and chemical durability, and electroactive characteristics. When processed into its β-phase, PVDF can display piezoelectric, ferroelectric, and pyroelectric behavior, which allows it to act as both a supporting structure and an active sensing or energy-converting component across a wide range of uses. Moreover, in order to enlighten the importance of PVDF, some highlighted applications of PVDF in advanced fields of aerospace systems, biomedical devices, civil infrastructures and constructions, and energy and electronics are described along with future perspectives.