Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) of Zinc Nitrate-Doped Polyvinylidene Fluoride Substrate for Sensor Applications

In this work we present the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of poly(vinylidene) fluoride (PVDF) films doped with zinc-nitrate for potential sensor applications. PVDF can exist in at least four different conformational crystalline phases. The most readily attained phases are α (nonpolar), β (ferroelectric), and γ (polar). Adding Zn(NO3)2 to a solution of PVDF before spin casting will increase the amount of β phase present in the thin films and induce retention of solvent molecules in the PVDF.
A three-layer system of substrate, polymer, and dye leads to a fluorescence enhancement. We also report the interfacial interactions and PVDF phase on the fluorescence enhancement by comparing the properties of PVDF coated with the fluorescent dye rhodamine 6G (PVDF/Rh6G)  and PVDF-Zn2+/Rh6G films as a function of Zn2+ composition and PVDF phase.