Performance Improvement of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) by In Situ Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate and Ionic Liquid

1-Butyl-3-vinylimdazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BVIM][BF4]) was used as ionic liquid to in situ copolymerized with methyl methacrylate (MMA) in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) solution by the free radical polymerization method. The content of [BVIM][BF4] in the copolymerized monomers ranges from 0 to 50%. Soxhlet extraction results showed that more than 60% P(MMA-co-[BVIM][BF4]) were grafted onto the PVDF chains and the grafting degree was higher than 15%. H-1 NMR tests proved the occurrence of grafting reaction. SEM morphology indicated that phase separation took place for the in situ PVDF/P(MMA-co-[BVIM][BF4]) composites when the [BVIM][BF4] content was more than 40 wt%. FTIR and XRD measurements indicated the crystal transformation of PVDF from alpha-phase to beta/gamma phase due to the ion-dipole interaction between PVDF and [BVIM][BF4]. Furthermore, the introduction of [BVIM][BF4] into the in situ PVDF/P(MMA-co-[BVIM][BF4]) composites enhanced the electrical conductivity and dielectric constant of PVDF. The present method improved the stability of ionic liquid in the PVDF composites and the in situ PVDF/P(MMA-co-[BVIM][BF4]) composites show potential applications in sensor, actuator and battery fields.