Improving dielectric properties of composites thin films with polylactic acid and PZT microparticles induced by interfacial polarization

Abstract

Although polylactic acid (PLA) is widely identified as a biodegradable polymer, its use is limited due to the inherently poor mechanical properties. Therefore, the strengthening of PLA with microscale particles like lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is a promising field of research that has only just begun to be explored. Piezoelectric polymer-PZT films are encouraging materials for modern applications. PLA/PZT composites have been elaborated with diverse content of PZT employing a solvent casting technique. The mechanical characteristics and dielectric properties of the considered films were investigated. X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to examine the influence of these fillers at the molecular level, crystal structural change, micro charges dispersion inside the polymer matrix, and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) was used to examine the stability and thermal degradation of the films. The change in these properties as a function of content (0.1–1 wt. %) of PZT has also been investigated. It is found that the PZT incorporation induces a considerable influence on the transformation of the α→β phase. The result can lead to a significant improvement in the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of PLA/PZT composite.