Effect of crystal structure on nanofiber morphology and chemical modification; design of CeO2/PVDF membrane

Layered crystal structures tend to form flat platelet-like crystallites, and nanofibers having such a structure exhibit strip-like morphology. Crystallographic plane forming the dominant surface of can be used for modification with catalytically active nanoparticles capable anchoring surface. In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) exhibiting morphology longitudinal folding were prepared using wire electrospinning, modified CeO2 nanoparticles. Experimental characterization CeO2/PVDF membrane (high-resolution) scanning electron microscopy X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was supplemented by force field-based molecular modeling. The modeling has shown that PVDF(100) is suitable respect, comparable less exposed fluorine-oriented PVDF(010) plane, both planes show stronger interaction compared hydrogen-oriented plane. Molecular also revealed preferred crystallographic orientations anchored nanoparticles: these are (100), (110), (111). successful finding on preferentially thus provides possibility various practical applications membrane.