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  • Giant spontaneous polarization for enhanced ferroelectric properties of biaxially oriented poly(vinylidene fluoride) by mobile oriented amorphous fractions
Title: Giant spontaneous polarization for enhanced ferroelectric properties of biaxially oriented poly(vinylidene fluoride) by mobile oriented amorphous fractions
Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and its random copolymers exhibit the most distinctive ferroelectric properties; however, their spontaneous polarization (60–105 mC m −2 ) is still inferior to those (>200 mC m −2 ) of the ceramic counterparts. In this work, we report an unprecedented spontaneous polarization ( P s = 140 mC m −2 ) for a highly poled biaxially oriented PVDF (BOPVDF) film, which contains a pure β crystalline phase. Given the crystallinity of ∼0.52, the P s for the β phase ( P s,β ) is calculated to be 279 mC m −2 , if a simple two-phase model of semicrystalline polymers is assumed. This high P s,β is invalid, because the theoretical limit of P s,β is 185 mC m −2 , as calculated by density functional theory. To explain such a high P s for the poled BOPVDF, a third component in the amorphous phase must participate in the ferroelectric switching to contribute to the P s . Namely, an oriented amorphous fraction (OAF) links the lamellar crystal and the mobile amorphous fraction. From the hysteresis loop study, the OAF content was determined to be ∼0.28, more than 50% of the amorphous phase. Because of the high polarizability of the OAFs, the dielectric constant of the poled BOPVDF reached nearly twice the value of conventional PVDF. The fundamental knowledge obtained from this study will provide a solid foundation for the future development of PVDF-based high performance electroactive polymers for wearable electronics and soft robotic applications.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1708990
NSF-PAR ID:
10296520
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Journal of Materials Chemistry C
Volume:
9
Issue:
3
ISSN:
2050-7526
Page Range / eLocation ID:
894 to 907
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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