Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
This paper focuses on the molecular structure-electric property relationships of VDF/TrFE/HFP terpolymers, containing vinylidene difluoride (VDF), trifluoroethylene (TrFE) and hexafluoropropene (HFP) units. Several terpolymers were synthesized and evaluated with the corresponding VDF/TrFE copolymers. In general, a small amount of bulky HFP units in the polymer chain prevents the long sequence of crystallization and results in smaller ferroelectric (polar) micro-domains, which show the improved electric properties. The resulting terpolymer possesses a interesting combined properties with good processibility, low Curie transition temperature and high dielectric constant, narrow polarization hysteresis loop, and high strain response (2.5%) at relatively low electric field (50 MV/m).