Phys. org July 18, 2022
Researchers in Germany showed that precisely applied mechanical pressure can improve the electronic properties of a widely used ferroelectric semi-crystalline polymer material polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). However, PVDF’s structure, unlike crystals, is not completely ordered. They discovered that atomic force microscopy can be used to establish a certain electric order in the material. They scanned the material sample with a tip only a few nanometers in size. Using a laser they measured, evaluated the vibrations that were produced, and analyzed the material’s surface structure at the nano level. They discovered that this also changed the electrical properties of the PVDF. The pressure elastically compressed the material at a desired point without shifting the molecules. The polarization could be controlled and reoriented at the nano level. The electrical domains created were extremely stable and remained intact four years after the original experiment. The new process could help enable materials like PVDF to be used in novel electrical and storage applications…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
X-ray diffraction θ–2θ scan of a representative PVDF-TrFE film after subtracting the substrate background signal. Credit: Advanced Electronic Materials, 20 April 2022Â