Synthesis and characterization of ZnO–TiO₂/PVDF-HFP hybrid nanocomposite with enhanced β-phase: implications for environmental monitoring and energy harvesting

The multifunctionality of new composite materials based on electroactive polymers has sparked a lot of interest in research because of their potential applications in a variety of fields, including biological and chemical sensors, photocatalytic air and water pollution control, and energy harvesting through piezoelectric and photovoltaic effects. Solvent casting has been used to create a novel flexible binary oxide ZnO–TiO₂/PVDF-HFP poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) nanocomposites for the fabrication of piezoelectric thin films. The nanocomposites in this work were characterized using a variety of methods such as thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and optical microscope. It has been shown that adding nanofillers can greatly enhance a number of characteristics of PVDF-HFP piezoelectric films made using the solvent casting process. This study underscores the potential of these nanocomposites for environmental integration, particularly in advancing materials that contribute to pollution control and sustainable energy solutions.