A pyrotoroidic transition in ferroelectric polymer

Abstract

<h2>Summary</h2> Emergent topological textures coupled with ferroic orders have become the promising basis for exotic phenomena and application advances. While the number of materials observed with polar topological textures is growing, manipulation of these emergent polar topologies with the aid of external stimuli (e.g. electric field, strain, thermal perturbation) remains rare. Here, we report a pyrotoroidic transition accompanying the Curie transition in face-on lamellae of poly(vinylidene fluoride-<i>ran</i>-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)), with a chirality reversal revealed in the polar topology. The existence of toroidal order in paraelectric polymers has been validated by further confirming the toroidal order in face-on lamellae of relaxor ferroelectric polymer induced by physical defects. This work demonstrates the manipulation of polar topological texture with the controls of the thermal condition. It should also expand the reach of toroidal polar topologies to a range of flexible materials and offer an insight into their formation.