Characterization of electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride-loaded iron sand-based Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles

Abstract Iron sand-based Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles–polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibers were processed inside an electrospinning system at room temperature. The incorporation of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles into the PVDF matrix decreases the diameter of the fibers. The presence of the Fe 3 O 4 crystalline phase in the electrospun PVDF-Fe 3 O 4 fiber indicates the unchanged Fe 3 O 4 crystal structure. The surface morphology of the samples was altered considerably after the electrospinning and heating processes. Infrared spectroscopy identification confirmed the PVDF α to β -phase transformation in the PVDF and PVDF-Fe 3 O 4 fibers. The thermal analysis detected a higher residual mass of the PVDF-Fe 3 O 4 sample than that of the pure PVDF at high temperatures. Through the hysteresis characteristics, a ferromagnetic behaviour was observed for all samples. The efficient and low-cost fabrication of the PVDF-Fe 3 O 4 fibers could be considered practical for diverse applications of nanotechnology.