Piezoelectric properties of polyamide 11/NaNbO3 nanowire composites

Polyamide 11(PA 11)/sodium niobate nanowire (NW) 0-3 composites with different volume fractions of NWs were synthesized. The electric polarization (P) was measured as a function of the applied electric field (E). The P-E hysteresis loop was used to work out the remanent polarization Pr of these materials. The dielectric permittivity and the piezoelectric strain constant were determined. Good impedance matching between inorganic and organic phases leads to higher electroactivity than conventional lead-free 0-3 composites. The piezoelectric voltage of the PA 11/NaNbO3 NW composites is of the same order as those obtained for fluorinated piezoelectric polymers. These composites could have some applications in flexible, low-cost, environmentally friendly piezoelectric sensors and actuators.