Polyvinylidene Fluoride Aerogels with Tailorable Crystalline Phase Composition

Torres-Rodriguez, Jorge; E. Bedolla, Diana; D’Amico, Francesco; Koopmann, Ann-Kathrin; Vaccari, Lisa; Saccomano, Giulia; Kohns, Richard; Huesing, Nicola

doi:10.3390/gels8110727

Open AccessArticle

Polyvinylidene Fluoride Aerogels with Tailorable Crystalline Phase Composition

by

Jorge Torres-Rodriguez

^1,2,

Diana E. Bedolla

^3,4

,

Francesco D’Amico

³

,

Ann-Kathrin Koopmann

^1,2,

Lisa Vaccari

³

,

Giulia Saccomano

^3,5

,

Richard Kohns

^1,2

and

Nicola Huesing

^1,2,*

¹

Chemistry and Physics of Materials, Paris-Lodron-University of Salzburg, Jakob Haringer-Str. 2A, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

²

Salzburg Center for Smart Materials, Jakob Haringer-Str. 2A, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

³

Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, SS14 Km 163.5, 34149 Trieste, Italy

⁴

Area Science Park, Padriciano 99, 34149 Trieste, Italy

⁵

Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, Via Alfonso Valerio 6/1, 34127 Trieste, Italy

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Gels 2022, 8(11), 727; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8110727

Submission received: 20 October 2022 / Revised: 2 November 2022 / Accepted: 7 November 2022 / Published: 9 November 2022

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Aerogels)

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Abstract

In this work, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) aerogels with a tailorable phase composition were prepared by following the crystallization-induced gelation principle. A series of PVDF wet gels (5 to 12 wt.%) were prepared from either PVDF–DMF solutions or a mixture of DMF and ethanol as non-solvent. The effects of the non-solvent concentration on the crystalline composition of the PVDF aerogels were thoroughly investigated. It was found that the nucleating role of ethanol can be adjusted to produce low-density PVDF aerogels, whereas the changes in composition by the addition of small amounts of water to the solution promote the stabilization of the valuable β and γ phases. These phases of the aerogels were monitored by FTIR and Raman spectroscopies. Furthermore, the crystallization process was followed by in-time and in situ ATR–FTIR spectroscopy. The obtained aerogels displayed specific surface areas > 150 m² g⁻¹, with variable particle morphologies that are dependent on the non-solvent composition, as observed by using SEM and Synchrotron Radiation Computed micro-Tomography (SR-μCT).

Keywords: aerogel; PVDF; crystalline phases; polyvinylidene fluoride

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MDPI and ACS Style

Torres-Rodriguez, J.; E. Bedolla, D.; D’Amico, F.; Koopmann, A.-K.; Vaccari, L.; Saccomano, G.; Kohns, R.; Huesing, N. Polyvinylidene Fluoride Aerogels with Tailorable Crystalline Phase Composition. Gels 2022, 8, 727. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8110727

AMA Style

Torres-Rodriguez J, E. Bedolla D, D’Amico F, Koopmann A-K, Vaccari L, Saccomano G, Kohns R, Huesing N. Polyvinylidene Fluoride Aerogels with Tailorable Crystalline Phase Composition. Gels. 2022; 8(11):727. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8110727

Chicago/Turabian Style

Torres-Rodriguez, Jorge, Diana E. Bedolla, Francesco D’Amico, Ann-Kathrin Koopmann, Lisa Vaccari, Giulia Saccomano, Richard Kohns, and Nicola Huesing. 2022. "Polyvinylidene Fluoride Aerogels with Tailorable Crystalline Phase Composition" Gels 8, no. 11: 727. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8110727

APA Style

Torres-Rodriguez, J., E. Bedolla, D., D’Amico, F., Koopmann, A.-K., Vaccari, L., Saccomano, G., Kohns, R., & Huesing, N. (2022). Polyvinylidene Fluoride Aerogels with Tailorable Crystalline Phase Composition. Gels, 8(11), 727. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels8110727

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Polyvinylidene Fluoride Aerogels with Tailorable Crystalline Phase Composition

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