Giant Electrostrictive Response in Poly(vinylidene-fluoride hexafluoropropylene) copolymer

In the present study, the strain response of a new class of copolymers of PVF 2 is investigated. Electrostrictive strains were measured in poly(vinylidene-fluoride hexafluoropropylene), P(VF 2 -HFP), using a capacitance method (air-gap capacitor), as a function of electric field. Three different thermal treatments (ice water quenched, air quenched and slow cooled) were given to samples of composition 5% and 15% HFP. Strains greater than 4 % were observed in the 5% HFP ice water quenched P(VF 2 -HFP) copolymer. Values of elastic modulus were lower for the quenched 5 % films than for the slow cooled ones, and in both cases they were higher than previously studied polyurethane elastomers and poly(vinylidene-fluoride trifluoroethylene) copolymers. Key words: Electrostrictive Polymer, Poly(vinylidene-fluoride hexafluoropropylene) copolymer, Ferroelectic, X-ray, DSC.