Enhanced pyroelectric property of PMN–PT/P[VDF–TrFE] thick film by optimizing poling temperature

Abstract

Lead magnesium niobate–lead titanate (PMN–PT) ceramic powder and Poly[VinyliDeneFluoride-co-TriFluoroEthylene] (P[VDF–TrFE]) have been used to fabricate 0–3 composites thick films on ITO substrates by tape casting. The phase structure and grain size of PMN–PT were analyzed by XRD and SEM. The distribution of ceramic powder in polymer matrix was characterized by SEM. In order to find out the optimal poling temperature, dielectric-temperature spectrums of the composite films were measured to calculate the electric field applied to the ceramic phase (Ec). Finally, PMN–PT/P[VDF–TrFE] composite films were polarized by one-step polarization under optimized polarization temperature and their pyroelectric constant were compared with these of samples poled using conventional two-step polarization method. The results showed that the pyroelectric coefficient increases to 58.6 μC m−2 K−1 at a ceramic mass fraction of 55% at the optimized polarizing temperature 110 °C.