Synthesis of BaTiO3 nanoparticle/poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hybrid nanofibers via electrospinning

BaTiO3 nanoparticle/poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) hybrid nanofibers were fabricated from an in situ synthesized BaTiO3 nanoparticle/polymer hybrid by electrospinning. The bulk hybrid for nanofibers was synthesized through the in situ hydrolysis of Ba–Ti alkoxide modified with 2-vinyloxyethanol and subsequent copolymerization with HEMA monomer. IR and 13C NMR spectra showed the formation of polymer matrix. The molecular weights of BaTiO3 nanoparticle/PHEMA hybrid for spinning were 1.3 × 105 for 20 equiv. PHEMA and 5.7 × 105 for 30 equiv. PHEMA. The crystallite size of BaTiO3 particles in the hybrid was 4.5 nm according to the Scherrer equation. The diameter of BaTiO3 nanoparticle/PHEMA hybrid nanofibers ranged from 500 nm to 1 μm. A field stress–strain curve was observed for the BaTiO3 nanoparticle/PHEMA hybrid nanofiber.