Pyroelectric properties of polymer-ferroelectric composites

Abstract

Abstract A sensitive pyroelectric material has been obtained by putting ferroelectric powders into the matrix of polymer. As ferroelectric powders, PbTiO3, and PZT were used. Poly(ethylene) and Poly(vinylidene fluoride) were tested for the matrix polymer. The pyroelectric coefficient of thc PVDF—PbTiO3 composite is as large as 13 nC/cm2K, considerably larger than those of any other polymeric materials. The preparation method of the composite is described, together with its light detecting properties, which depend on both modulation frequency and detecting circuit constants. We have studied the pyroelectricity of the composite, taking the content of the ferroelectric powder and the dielectricity into consideration. The pyroelectric coefficient of composite material was theoretically calculated and good agreement was obtained between experimental and theoretical.