Electroactive poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) membranes obtained by isothermal crystallization from solution

Abstract

Electroactive macroporous poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifuoroethylene) membranes have been produced by solvent evaporation at room temperature starting with a diluted solution of the co-polymer in dimethylformamide. The pore architecture consists in interconnected spherical pores. This architecture is independent of the membrane thickness. The thickness of the membranes ranges from few microns to several hundred microns, using spin coating and evaporation in static conditions, respectively. The pore structure is explained by a spinodal decomposition of the liquid-liquid phase separation and crystallization in the copolymer rich phase.