Physico‐Chemical Characterizations of Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/Cu 3 (BTC) 2 Composite Membranes Prepared by In Situ Crystal Growth

In this work, we present a simple and fast method for elaborating hybrid membranes by growing metal–organic framework crystals inside a polymer solution. The solution thus obtained was casted then annealed at 90°C for 5 h. This method was tested with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) as a piezoelectric polymer and the Cu 3 (BTC) 2 , BTC = 1,3,5‐benzene tricarboxylate, as a filler. The characterization of the obtained membranes by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction showed the presence of the characteristic signatures of Cu 3 (BTC) 2 and the β ‐phase of PVDF. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy images reveal that the Cu 3 (BTC) 2 crystallites have grown along the PVDF membranes. The effect of the filler on both thermal and mechanical properties of the membranes was also studied. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 60:464–473, 2020. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers