Research Projects

Ferroelectric polymers and ceramic nanocomposite have attracted enormous amount of interest of scientific community due to its property of high energy density, sustainable upto very high voltage. This property could be used for various applications such as pulsed power systems, electric vehicles and embedded electrical applications. Large number of ceramic filler of different sizes ranging from nanometre to micro meter have been loaded in PVDF matrix by different processing routes such as molten composite formation, solution casting etc. Among all ceramic fillers KNN (Sodium potassium niobate) shows stable dielectric behaviour, ferroelectricity upto high temperature, and possibility of relaxor behaviour,it could be an appropriate ceramic filler in different ferroelectric polymer matrix. Despite of its important properties, the polymer based nanocomposite consisting of KNN has not been widely investigated. Keeping this in view, this proposal focusses on developing multifunctional ferroelectric nanocomposites including KNN (Sodium potassium niobate) ceramic nanofiller in PVDF (polyvnylinediene fluoride) matrix. In order to achieve better compatibility between the two phases and modulating the local electrical behaviour of the interfacial region, a systematic and extensive study will be carried out. The polarization and the electrical conduction behaviour of interfacially modified PVDF-KNN nanocomposite is extremely important in order to design and develop high energy density materials.