Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting in Poly(vinylidene Fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)/Barium Titanate Nanofibers and Ultrasonic Assisted Piezocatalytic Degradation of Ciprofloxacin

An innovative approach has been adopted through the synthesis of a cost-effective ferroelectric host polymer, which was integrated with Barium Titanate (BaTiO₃) to develop an efficient electrospun Polyvinylidene Fluoride-Hexafluoropropylene/BaTiO₃ (PVdF-HFP/BaTiO₃) nanocomposite (PBT), designated for energy harvesting and piezocatalytic applications. FT-IR affirmed the existence of the crystalline β-phase within the nanofibers. SEM images showed that nanofiber diameter decreases as applied voltage is increased in electrospinning. The BaTiO₃ nanoparticles were scattered evenly in PBT, but at lower voltages, they aggregate. PBT showed enhanced piezoelectric performance under higher voltage conditions, registering a maximum piezoelectric output of ~7.7 V and an output current of 0.77 μA. Moreover, the composite exhibited a power density of 14.15 mW/m² at a load resistance of 20 MΩ. Fabricated piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG) demonstrated practical utility in flexible electronics, notably in charging capacitors of 0.47 μF and 1 μF. Additionally, the piezocatalytic degradation of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) was effectively achieved using the electrospun nanofibers, with an impressive degradation rate of up to 99.6 % within 30 minutes under acidic conditions, and the material displayed notable reusability, maintaining up to 95.5 % efficiency after five cycles. DFT calculations and COMSOL simulations alongside a comparative examination of the electronic properties of PBT.