Owing to their biocompatibility, chemical stability, film-forming ability, cost-effectiveness, and excellent electroactive properties, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and PVDF-based polymers are widely used in sensors, actuators, energy harvesters, etc. In this review, the recent research progress on the PVDF phase structures and identification of different phases is outlined. Several approaches for obtaining the electroactive phase of PVDF and preparing PVDF-based nanocomposites are described. Furthermore, the potential applications of these materials in wearable sensors and human energy harvesters are discussed. Finally, some challenges and perspectives for improving the properties and boosting the applications of these materials are presented.

A new conductive composite composed of nanoscale carbon black (CB) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was prepared by a simple in-situ polymerization. The morphology of the composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The structure and thermal stability were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis, respectively. The results indicated that the addition of CB improved the agglomerated state of PEDOT. On the one hand, CB effectively hindered the agglomeration of PEDOT during the polymerization. Thus, the obtained CB-PEDOT composite dispersed well in solution, which can facilitate the reprocessing of CB-PEDOT. On the other hand, CB covered most of the surface of PEDOT, which enhanced the electrical conductivity of CB-PEDOT. Furthermore, the interfacial interaction between CB and PEDOT improved the thermal stability of CB-PEDOT. The findings of this research suggest that CB can replace polyelectrolyte poly(styrenesulfonic acid) (PSS) to achieve reprocessable materials for certain applications.

Cobalt blue ceramic pigments mainly consisting of CoAl₂O₄ are subject to the difficulty of color control. Here, a perspective is reported regarding research on the reasons for color change based on the control of the heat treatment and ratio of components. Macroscopically, the composition of pigment powders determines the color. Microscopically, the crystallite characters including size, cation distribution, and structure have an important effect on the color. The ingredient, structural, and color properties of the pigment powders are analyzed using thermo gravimetry–differential scanning calorimetry (TG–DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement, Rietveld refinement, energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and colorimetry analysis. The color is proven to be associated with cation distribution, such as that of Co²⁺ and Co³⁺. It is indicated that high heating temperature, long heating time, and a large proportion of Al³⁺ can, respectively, induce the Co²⁺ and Al³⁺ in tetrahedral and octahedral sites.

Cobalt blue pigments, which mainly comprise CoAl₂O₄, are widely synthesized as nano-scale particles using the coprecipitation method. Such ultrafine powders are necessary for the ceramics industry because of their significant effect on the color of glaze and bulk tiles. In this paper, cobalt blue pigments have been prepared using the coprecipitation method and then subjected to supercritical fluid drying. The differences in their physicochemical and optical properties are characterized using a series of analysis including X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and CIE-L*a*b*colorimetry analysis. The results indicate that the CoAl₂O₄ pigments subjected to supercritical fluid drying exhibit a fine-scale structure, a crystallite size of approximately 52 nm at 1400°C, and an excellent stability at high temperatures. They also present a vivid blue color, with improved brightness and hue than those of other cobalt blue pigments. Furthermore, this study elucidates the promising potential of supercritical fluid drying for fabricating nano-sized CoAl₂O₄ pigments with excellent optical and physicochemical properties.