PVDF-Based Functional Materials: From Structure Engineering to Advanced Applications

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and its copolymers have emerged as cornerstone materials in membrane science due to their outstanding chemical resistance, thermal stability, and mechanical robustness. Beyond their well-established roles in microfiltration and ultrafiltration, PVDF-based membranes are increasingly being re-engineered through molecular design and microstructural control to deliver higher selectivity, fouling resistance, and multifunctional performance.Advances in phase inversion, electrospinning, surface modification, and copolymerization strategies have opened new pathways to tailor crystalline phases, pore architecture, and surface properties in PVDF membranes. These developments are extending PVDF’s role in water and wastewater treatment, gas separation, and hybrid composite membranes, while also enabling smart, stimuli-responsive membrane surfaces.This Research Topic aims to advance the fundamental understanding and practical development of PVDF-based membrane materials, connecting polymer chemistry, membrane fabrication, and process-structure-property relationships. Particular emphasis will be placed on how crystalline phase composition (alpha, beta, gamma polymorphs), morphology evolution, and pore architecture govern membrane performance, fouling behavior, and separation efficiency.To gather further insights in this field, we welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:—Mechanistic studies of PVDF membrane formation and phase separation processes—Copolymerization, blending, and additive engineering for membrane property tuning—Structural control of crystalline phase transitions and polymorphism in PVDF membranes—Surface modification, functionalization, and hierarchical structuring for fouling resistance—Electrospun and phase-inversion PVDF membranes for water, wastewater, and gas separation—Hybrid and composite PVDF membranes incorporating inorganic or functional additives—Advanced imaging and characterization of membrane morphology-performance relationships—Computational modeling and simulation of PVDF membrane structure and formation—Environmentally benign synthesis routes and recycling for sustainable PVDF membrane processing Topic editors: Zhongxiang Wang, Youyi Tai Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84276/pvdf-based-functional-materials-from-structure-engineering-to-advanced-applications