Multi-scale characterisation of a ferroelectric polymer reveals the emergence of a morphological phase transition driven by temperature

Jonas Hafner (), Simone Benaglia, Filipe Richheimer, Marco Teuschel, Franz J. Maier, Artner Werner, Sebastian Wood, Daniel Platz, Michael Schneider, Klaudia Hradil, Fernando A. Castro, Ricardo Garcia and Ulrich Schmid
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Jonas Hafner: Institute of Sensor and Actuator Systems, TU Wien
Simone Benaglia: Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC
Filipe Richheimer: National Physical Laboratory
Marco Teuschel: Institute of Sensor and Actuator Systems, TU Wien
Franz J. Maier: Institute of Sensor and Actuator Systems, TU Wien
Artner Werner: X-ray Centre, TU Wien
Sebastian Wood: National Physical Laboratory
Daniel Platz: Institute of Sensor and Actuator Systems, TU Wien
Michael Schneider: Institute of Sensor and Actuator Systems, TU Wien
Klaudia Hradil: X-ray Centre, TU Wien
Fernando A. Castro: National Physical Laboratory
Ricardo Garcia: Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC
Ulrich Schmid: Institute of Sensor and Actuator Systems, TU Wien

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Ferroelectric materials exhibit a phase transition to a paraelectric state driven by temperature - called the Curie transition. In conventional ferroelectrics, the Curie transition is caused by a change in crystal symmetry, while the material itself remains a continuous three-dimensional solid crystal. However, ferroelectric polymers behave differently. Polymeric materials are typically of semi-crystalline nature, meaning that they are an intermixture of crystalline and amorphous regions. Here, we demonstrate that the semi-crystalline morphology of the ferroelectric copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and trifluoroethylene (P(VDF-TrFE)) strongly affects its Curie transition, as not only a change in crystal symmetry but also in morphology occurs. We demonstrate, by high-resolution nanomechanical measurements, that the semi-crystalline microstructure in the paraelectric state is formed by crystalline domains embedded into a softer amorphous phase. Using in situ X-ray diffraction measurements, we show that the local electromechanical response of the crystalline domains is counterbalanced by the amorphous phase, effectively masking its macroscopic effect. Our quantitative multi-scale characterisations unite the nano- and macroscopic material properties of the ferroelectric polymer P(VDF-TrFE) through its semi-crystalline nature.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20407-6

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