Dielectric and pyroelectric properties of P(VDF-TrFE) and PCLT-P(VDF-TrFE) 0-3 nanocomposite films

Nanocrystalline calcium and lanthanum modified lead titanate (PCLT) powder prepared by a sol-gel process was incorporated into a polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene [P(VDF-TrFE)] copolymer matrix to form PCLT-P(VDF-TrFE) nanocomposite thin films with 0.11 volume fraction of ceramic. The relative permittivity and pyroelectric coefficient of the P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer and nanocomposite films were measured as functions of the poling electric field. After poling under the same conditions, the nanocomposite film was found to have a higher pyroelectric coefficient (by ~35%) and figures of merit than those of the P(VDF-TrFE) film of a similar thickness.Department of Applied Physic