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The energy harvesting efficiency of poly(vinylidene fluoride–trifluoroethylene) spin coated films and its nanocomposites with piezoelectric BaTiO 3 have been investigated as a function of ceramic filler size and content. It is found that the best energy harvesting performance of ∼0.28 μW is obtained for the nanocomposite samples with 20% filler content of 10 nm size particles and for 5% filler content for the 100 and 500 nm size fillers. For the larger filler average sizes, the power decreases for filler contents above 5% due to increase of the mechanical stiffness of the samples. Due to the similar dielectric characteristics of the samples, the performance is mainly governed by the mechanical response. The obtained power values, easy processing and the low cost and robustness of the polymer, allow the implementation of the material for micro and nanogenerator applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer based scintillator composites have been produced by combining poly(vinylidene fluoride), PVDF, and Gd 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ scintillator nanoparticles. Additionally, 2,5 dipheniloxazol (PPO) and (1,4-bis (2-(5-phenioxazolil))-benzol (POPOP) were introduced in the polymer matrix in order to improve visible light yield under x-ray irradiation. It is shown that addition of PPO and POPOP has no influence on the polymer structure, increases dielectric constant from ∼7 to ∼14, which is suitable for improving energy resolution, and increases in 40% the overall transduction performance of the composite without sacrificing its homogeneity and transparency. Thus, the developed Gd 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ /PPO/POPOP/PVDF composites are appropriate for large area X-ray radiation detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]