Researchers from the CMEMS Centre of the UMinho School of Engineering have co-authored a review article in the prestigious journal Chemical Reviews.

Vanessa Cardoso, Margarida Fernandes and Vítor Correia, Assistant Researchers at the CMEMS Centre of the UMinho School of Engineering are co-authors of a review article in the prestigious journal Chemical Reviews with an Impact Factor of 62.1.

This work was carried out in collaboration with the Physics, Chemistry, CBMA, IPC, IB-S (UMinho) and BCMaterials (Bilbao) centres, and also involved researchers Carlos M. Costa, Pedro Martins, Daniela Correia, Renato Gonçalves, Pedro Costa, Clarisse Ribeiro, Pedro Martins and Professor Senentxu Lanceros-Méndez.

The article compiles the latest advances in the field of intelligent and multifunctional materials based on the electroactive polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride)-PVDF. From a scientific and technological point of view, PVDF is known for its excellent electroactive properties, showing high dielectric, piezoelectric, pyroelectric and ferroelectric response, as well as high chemical, mechanical, thermal and radiation resistance. In addition, it can be processed into numerous phases (α, β, δ, γ and ε) and forms such as films, membranes, fibres, micro/nanoparticles and with easily changeable and controllable physicochemical properties. From a technological point of view, the α phase is the most thermally stable while the β phase has the highest electroactive properties. All these properties make PVDF and its derivatives highly interesting for numerous applications.

This review article summarises and discusses all its properties and manufacturing techniques, along with its adaptability and implementation in areas such as sensors, actuators, batteries, environmental, microfluidics, tissue engineering and antimicrobial applications, ending with the challenges and future trends of this material and application areas.

The article can be accessed in Open Access format at https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00196