Effect of Hexafluoropropylene (HFP) doping on Poly(vinylidenefluoride) (PVDF) Electrospun Nanofibers

In this paper, we investigate the effects of doping on the morphology, mechanical properties, and contact angle of Polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF) nanofibers prepared by electrospinning. The nanofibers were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer analysis, Contact angle tester and a homemade Microtensile test device. The experimental results showed that by doping Hexafluoropropylene(HFP), the diameters of the electrospun nanofibers became finer and the degree of crystallinity of nanofibers became better. This improves the molecular orientation of PVDF nanofibers, resulting in enhanced Young’s modulus and elongation. XRD analysis revealed that $\beta$-crystal were the main crystal form in both electrospun PVDF and PVDF-HFP nanofibers, indicating high hydrophobic performance.