The microstructural, mechanical and electro-mechanical properties of graphene aerogel-PVDF nanoporous composites

Graphene aerogel-poly(vinylidene fluoride) (GA-PVDF) nanoporous composites with different concentrations of PVDF are fabricated. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that PVDF films with a typical thickness below 100 nm are coated at the graphene sheets in the nanoporous composites. The GA-PVDF composites show excellent compressibility, ductility and mechanical strength, as well as better sensitivity of stress-dependent electrical resistance compared with those of GAs. The improved mechanical and electro-mechanical behaviours of nanoporous composites are ascribed to the PVDF which possesses piezoelectricity. The structural properties of the graphene-PVDF nano-sized hybrid scaffolds are analyzed by dynamical mechanical relaxation. The results demonstrate that the nanoporous composites could be used as high-performance sensors, actuators and kinetic energy harvesters.