Piezoelectricity in ferroelectric polymers originates from electrostriction under a finite remanent polarization. However, its structural origin remains unclear for ferroelectric polymers. Namely, how can we modify the semicrystalline structure of ferroelectric polymers to enhance electrostriction for piezoelectricity? In this study, we report the electrostrictive relaxor-like secondary crystals in the oriented amorphous fraction (SCOAF) of a polarized poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] random copolymers containing extended-chain primary crystals. As a result of the high polarizability of VDF/TrFE dipoles and nanodomains in the SCOAF, the inverse piezoelectric coefficient d31 is enhanced by electrostriction to be as high as 77±5 pm/V for the P(VDF-TrFE) 55/45 copolymer at 55 °C. This understanding not only clarifies the electrostriction origin of piezoelectricity, but also provides guidance for further improving the piezoelectric performance for ferroelectric polymers in the future.

Electrostriction-enhanced giant piezoelectricity via relaxor-like secondary crystals in extended-chain ferroelectric polymers

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