Antiferroelectric Behavior of P(VDF-TrFE) and P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) Ferroelectric Domains for Energy Harvesting

Abstract

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)], one of well-known ferroelectric polymers, has relatively high crystallinity and shows large polarization–electric field hysteresis loop (PE loop). On the other hand, poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-clorotrifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE)], one of relaxor ferroelectric polymers in which the third monomer CTFE breaks coherent polarization domain into nanopolar regions, shows narrow PE loop. In this study, P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer and P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) terpolymer were blended together, and their polarization behavior was investigated. The enhancement in the polarization as compared to neat P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) is observed with the antiferroelectric-like behavior of blends which give rise to the additional energy density. The result shows the evolution in properties of ferroelectric polymer blends from paraelectric to antiferroelectric behavior, especially for α = 0.1 and α = 0.2 blend system, and shows fast charged and discharged energy density.